As The Dead Determines Who Governs Ondo

By Ayodele Oni

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed a date in November for the governorship election in Ondo state to elect a successor to the present administration being led by Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Aiyedatiwa, a former Deputy Governor of the State, was sworn in on 27 December, 2023, following the death of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, whose burial programme commenced this week.

What could be described as distrust happened between the former Governor and the incumbent which almost led to the impeachment of Aiyedatiwa by the state House of Assembly.

An intervention by some elder statesmen in the state that called on President Bola Tinubu to wade into the political crisis, which had already crippled the state administration, saved the day and paved the way for the swearing in of Aiyedatiwa as governor immediately it was confirmed that Akeredolu was dead.

At the twilight of the late former governor, he loved Aiyedatiwa as his deputy up to a point that during one of the public functions, he vowed to do everything to ensure that he succeeded him.

Aiyedatiwa was very loyal to late Governor Akeredolu to the extent that he saw any attack on the late Governor as a hit on him. His loyalty was never in doubt until the former Governor became sick and fifth columnists found the chance to put a gap between both of the.

At a media event in Akure on Wednesday, Governor Aiyedatiwa told journalists that he was the actual heir apparent to the throne that was endorsed by the late Governor to succeed him.

As reported, Aiyedatiwa said those present at their inauguration and members of the dissolved executive members can testify to the fact that Akeredolu always said he would start where the former governor stopped.

Aiyedatiwa maintained that  it was the wish of Akeredolu that he should succeed him after his tenure ends in February 2025 contrary to insinuations in many quarters.

Akeredolu had picked Aiyedatiwa as his running mate ahead of the October 2020 governorship election after he had fallen out with Hon Agboola Ajayi, who ran with him in a joint ticket in 2016.

In his inauguration speech as second-term Governor and Aiyedatiwa as Deputy on February 24, 2021, the late Governor said on February 24, 2021 “You have been loyal, you have been consistent. You are worthy of this position.

“You are worthy to complete this journey with us. I have maximum followers, maybe you can proceed from there. It is for me to come down and for you to grow. I must come down for him to grow. I have done my little bit.” This was a statement made by late Akeredolu in 2021.

Earlier, a former appointee that served as Commissioner for Finance and  now a   Governorship aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Wale Akinterinwa is equally claiming that he is the only candidate anointed by the late Governor to succeed him.

Akinterinwa, maintained that the late Governor Akeredolu had discussions with him to become the next Governor of the state.

Quoting the former Commissioner “Late Governor Akeredolu had a discussion with me in his office and he told me he would want me to take over from him. I didn’t take particular notice of the date he had discussion with me, but it happened immediately after he came back from his trip to Germany. He prayed for me and I am aware he told certain people about his desire.”

Now, two aspirants are laying claim and hanging on to the endorsement of the late former Governor to convince the people of the state to vote for them to emerge as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the November election. The time will tell who between them that actually got the nod and how far this can be a force to win the election.

Some aides of the former Governor are however doubting whether Aiyedatiwa’s endorsement by Akeredolu still subsists until his last breath going by series of allegations of disloyalty against him which culminated in the move by the Assembly to impeach him.