The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has expressed reservation over the choice of Ibadan, Oyo state, as first port of call for Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who returned from a medical trip to Germany on Thursday.
According to the opposition party, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter expected that, now that the Governor is back in Nigeria, his first point of call should have been Ondo State, where everybody prayed for his quick recovery and return to his duties.
“Instead, he headed for Ibadan and instructed all State Cabinet members and State Assembly men to join him.”
Akeredolu berthed in Ibadan on Thursday after almost three months medical leave, approved by the state House of Assembly to enable him attend to his health.
Since news of his arrival filtered around, members of his cabinet, state legislators and personal aides had relocated to the Oyo state capital to welcome and brief him on matters of state while away.
PDP in a statement on Friday, by its spokesman, Kennedy Peretei, stated that
“Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, Governor of Ondo State has continued in his usual lack of respect for the people of Ondo State by practically relocating his government and State Assembly to his residence in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
“On 6th June, 2023 Akeredolu wrote to the Ondo State House of Assembly about his medical vacation abroad amidst rumours that he was incapacitated. A medical leave that has taken three clear months.
“Mrs Betty Akeredolu, the Governor’s wife shut down the social media by posting her husband’s photo in an aircraft with the caption “Homebound” Thursday.
“There was no official release from Akeredolu’s media handlers, a responsibility Betty has since assumed.
“While Akeredolu was in Germany, attending to his health, Ondo State suffered multidimensional setbacks, from in-fighting to huge sums of money siphoned from the state treasury as medical expenses.
“Instead, he headed for Ibadan and instructed all State Cabinet members and State Assembly men to join him.
“This is very absurd and an insult on the sensibility of Ondo State people. If Akeredolu has been certified fit to resume duties, let him notify the Assembly accordingly to conclude the remainder of his tenure for which he has been barely tolerated.”
Not a few people have dismissed PDP’s statement as heartless. “This is heartless. It is like they expected the Governor to be brought home dead. They are not happy he came home alive. What is wrong with his touching Ibadan first for a few days of rest before returning to Akure to face the rigours of office? For these people, everything is politics”, said an elder statesman, incidentally, a member of the opposition party, to this magazine.
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