I have no grudge with Akeredolu ―Senator Boroffice

THE lawmaker representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, on Monday, said he had no problem with the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, despite the governor declaring political war against him.

Boroffice stated this in Akure, while on a visit to the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to sympathised with journalists who were attacked by suspected political thugs during the parallel congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The Senator, however, said the differences between him and Akeredolu should not be misconstrued to mean that he was antagonistic to the progress of the state.

He noted that politics has taken a dangerous dimension in the state and the peace being enjoyed by the people of the state should be sustained and called on the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police to bring the culprits who attacked the journalists to book

Speaking on the political differences between him and the governor, Boroffice said “the governor has declared twice that I am not a member of APC and that I should go a register at my ward.

“The first was during his inauguration as governor. Also at his one year anniversary, he said he didn’t recognize me as a senator of APC.

“I have no personal grudge against him. I don’t see him as a threat to my ambition but I don’t know whether he sees me as a threat to his ambition. Honestly, I cannot explain but this is part of life and once you are focused on what you are doing, you will regard those things a distraction.

“In a democratic setting, everybody is welcomed. Whether you agree with me or against me, as much as we agreed on the same ideology, we can work together in a party.

“It is my belief that we all need to work together in this state to move the state forward. I believe that I can contribute a lot to this government but I cannot impose myself on the governor.

” If he needs me, l am always available. He has never invited me to any occasion that I turned down; he has not extended any hands of fellowship to me that I refused. It is only him that can explain why he adopted this attitude towards me.

Boroffice, however, said the leadership of the party in the Southwest had made moves to reconcile him and the governor but said all the efforts were thwarted by governor Akeredolu.

“About three attempts were made to reconcile me and the governor by the South West zonal chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, but all the attempts were aborted by the governor and it takes two to tango,” he said.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Science and Technology, however, denied the allegation that former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was behind the factional crisis in the state chapter of APC.