Disquiet In Ondo As Deputy Gov Allegedly Moves Against Governor Akeredolu, Exco Divided
Members of the Ondo State Executive Council are gripped by significant tension.
The rumoured intention of the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to challenge his boss, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, for the governorship has stoked tensions amid rumours of his ill health.
According to sources within the cabinet, the governor has become aware of the alleged lack of loyalty of the deputy governor and has grown increasingly uneasy with his alleged ambition.
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Although the deputy governor has not yet formally declared his intention to run for governor in 2024, the campaign has reportedly been underway for some time.
The trouble began when Akeredolu left the deputy governor in charge of the governor’s office while he went on vacation.
During his brief tenure as acting governor, the deputy governor allegedly put his own interests ahead of those of the state and the governor.
In addition, certain members of the executive council have accused the deputy governor of spreading stories about the governor’s health and subsequent death rumours.
Due to the sensitivity of the matter, sources within the executive council who wished to remain anonymous disclosed that the deputy governor had started the rumours about the governor’s health.
One of the executive committee members confirmed that Akeredolu’s health was not deteriorating, while expressing concern about the governor’s selection of deputy governors.
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“The deputy governor is the source of all these rumours. In reality, the governor decided to take a break after the Cabinet meeting and subsequent courtesy visits three weeks ago.
“The governor has been advised to spend time resting on purpose. Therefore, the vice-governor travelled to Ibadan to pay him a visit, bringing documents with him. He did not, however, inform the governor or his closest aides of his visit. When the governor arrived in Ibadan, he signed the documents, which were then returned to him. However, the governor did not wait to speak with the vice governor.
“Upon his return to Akure, he began to suggest to some of our colleagues that the governor should transfer power to him. He even tried to convince Executive Committee members to support his position.
“He intentionally started these rumours about the governor’s health in order to gain public support. The deputy governor deceived us. We learned the truth only when we initiated contact with the governor ourselves.
“On Monday of last week, the governor signed the May 2023 salary,” The functioning of the ministries should indicate that the governor is in charge and actively involved. Currently, he is angry and upset about these false rumours.”
According to a government insider, the deputy governor already has cabinet allies.
“The deputy governor has promised a Commissioner that he will serve as his deputy if their attempt to remove the governor from office is successful. In addition, he promised to appoint another cabinet member as State Government Secretary.
“Unfortunately, two Commissioners are vying for the position of Aiyedatiwa’s deputy governor. Moreover, a Special Advisor has sworn allegiance to the deputy governor as part of her scheme to be nominated for the position of NDDC State Representative.
All of these individuals are currently allied and lobbying the governor to delegate authority to the deputy.
“The governor and the deputy governor met last week, and the governor signed a number of documents, including the Local Government’s salary. Why would the vice governor remain silent while the media reported unfavourable information about his boss? We are aware that he is liable for them.
“In actuality, he was persuaded to dispute these false reports, but he declined. It is quite disturbing to observe such behaviour from a vice-governor selected by the governor himself.
“In actuality, he was urged to issue a statement refuting these false rumours, but he declined. “It is extremely disheartening to observe such behaviour from a person who was handpicked by the governor and appointed as his deputy,” he said.
Kenneth Odusola, the press secretary for Aiyedatiwa, responded to the news by stating, “This falsehood and its purveyors would ordinarily be ignored at this time, but the need to stop further negative reports and rumours capable of causing unnecessary tension in our state has necessitated this response.
“The aforementioned allegation against the person of the deputy governor is a figment of the imagination of those behind it, whose ungodly intentions to cause a crisis in the state had been known for weeks, so such a lie did not come as a surprise.”
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