By Adesina Soyooye
The Presidency has denied the insinuations making the rounds in the Media that President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, approved the removal of Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, as the Governor of Ondo State.
Akeredolu, the urbane, fire-eating, Governor of the State has been in poor health, and once went on a three-month medical vacation to Germany.
On return since September, he has been in his private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, from where he runs the affairs of the State. He has not set foot in Ondo State.
Akeredolu’s absence from the State has expectedly sparked off political crisis, including the factionalization of both the Executive and Legislative Arms of Government. They are divided into two – pro- Akeredolu and pro- the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. It has also precipitated an impeachment move against Aiyedatiwa by pro- Akeredolu State Lawmakers and a stiff resistance by pro- Lawmakers Aiyedatiwa. Calls for the handing over of power to the Deputy Governor as Acting Governor, have also been loudly canvassed.
But on Friday, President Bola Tinubu waded in. He held an elaborate meeting with both factions and other Ondo State stakeholders where he convinced them to immediately sheate their swords and work together.
However, reports in the Media of the meeting gave the impression that the President had empowered the Deputy Governor to be in charge, especially, when Aiyedatiwa was quoted as saying that he would carry all Commissioners along.
The report has prompted a reaction from the Presidency which denied, in a statement, that President Tinubu ever asked the members of the Ondo State House of Assembly to remove Akeredolu as Governor. Far from that, the statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Ajuri Ngelale, said the President emphasised at the Peace Meeting that Akeredolu remains the Governor and Aiyedatiwa the Deputy Governor. The statement, also, said that the President ordered a stop to any impeachment moves against the Deputy Governor.
Following is the full text of Ajuri’s statement.
“In his bid to restore political stability in Ondo State, President Bola Tinubu, late on Friday, waded into the months-long crisis between factions loyal to the Executive Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“This followed marathon negotiations between the President and the Deputy Governor, representatives of Governor Akeredolu, federal and state lawmakers of Ondo, officials of the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress, and other stakeholders in the state at the State House, Abuja.
“The President advised all opposing parties to bury the hatchet and embrace peace, eliciting commitments to this effect.
“This means that Governor Akeredolu remains the Chief Executive of the State, Aiyedatiwa remains Deputy Governor, and members of the State Executive Council continue their respective duties, even as the leadership of the State’s House of Assembly and the APC Chapter in Ondo State is preserved.”
