Ondo State lawmakers will convene for their first plenary session on Tuesday, November 28, amidst escalating tensions after a crucial meeting with President Bola Tinubu to address the state’s political crisis.
Amidst swirling interpretations, supporters of Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa insisted that the resolution from the meeting leaned toward declaring him acting governor, while sources within Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s cabinet claimed plots to ambush the governor and defy the agreement with President Tinubu.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, sought to maintain the status quo, issuing a statement after the meeting.
He said:
“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.”
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Tensions peaked when 11 lawmakers loyal to Aiyedatiwa allegedly attempted to sway Akeredolu’s supporters to their cause. One lawmaker emphasized the insistence on declaring Aiyedatiwa acting governor at the pivotal Tuesday plenary.
He said:
“Last night (Sunday) a number of us received a call from the deputy governor. He informed us that he must be declared acting Governor on Tuesday. When we reminded him that it wasn’t part of the resolutions reached at the meeting with the President, he said the president can’t tell us how to run Ondo state.
“All efforts to make the deputy governor understand that the resolutions would only engender peace and allow the state to move forward, he yelled and said over his dead body would Akeredolu remain as governor.
“The deputy governor has failed to understand that the President has given the best political solution to the issue at hand. I wonder what Mr. Deputy Governor wants again. The agreement is that you should go and do your job. Represent your boss and get the people together. Is that too hard?
“Why is he hell-bent on becoming acting governor? Is he doing it in the interest of the people of the state? The answer is definitely no! Aiyedatiwa believes that the only way for him to become governor is if he forcefully takes power from Akeredolu now.
“The painful part is the unbridled affront to the President’s directive that the status quo should remain. President Tinubu is a man who should be respected in Ondo State. Especially if you are a loyal member of the APC, you must understand that Tinubu has invested so much in the party over the years.”
Hon. Ade Adetimehin, the party’s state chairman, emphasized that no politician in the state would defy the resolution made with President Tinubu regarding the state’s impasse.
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He said:
“There’s nothing of such, no one dares go against the resolution reached with the President. Can anyone go against what President Tinubu has pronounced? That agreement stands and nothing more”
Speaker of the Assembly, Hon Olamide Oladiji, asserted alignment with the meeting’s outcomes, while Majority Leader Hon. Emmanuel Ogunmolasuyi dispelled notions of a grand welcome or immediate proclamation for the deputy governor.
“It was collectively agreed that Akeredolu remains the Governor while Aiyedatiwa remains the Deputy Governor and not as Acting Governor.
“The meeting also agreed that there should be no impeachment, the House of Assembly remains one while the State Exco remains intact. No sacking of any member and party Exco remains intact.’
Expressing concern, the Ondo Progressives Network (OPN) cautioned against speculations of Aiyedatiwa plotting with lawmakers to secure an acting governor position, emphasizing that any breach of the resolution with President Tinubu would be viewed as subordination and flagrant disrespect.
The statement reads,
“We have observed a growing trend of discontent and dissatisfaction in the camp of the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The activities of his known and close allies and personal aides have shown a total rejection of the stance of the President and other stakeholders who attended the Abuja meeting.
“However, we are saddened by the latest news and speculations of plots by the Deputy Governor in collaboration with some members of the House of Assembly to declare him acting Governor against the resolutions reached in Abuja. We consider this as an act of insubordination and gross disrespect to the office of the President.
“We will like to advise the Deputy Governor, Aiyedatiwa to be guided in his ambitious drive and resist the lure of desperation and insatiable quest for power. The agreement reached in Abuja would serve the interests of the people and the state. It is not out of place for the deputy governor to continue to function as deputy governor without forcefully taking over power in the state.
“This is a clarion call to the deputy Governor to lay all these matters to rest. Continue to function as deputy Governor and desist from troubling the political water of the state. Fortunately, the election is around the corner. Since Mr. Deputy Governor is interested in the next election, we think disobeying the President will amount to political suicide.”
“Let peace reign supreme in Ondo State. The deputy governor should also, as a matter of urgency, call his followers and allies to order. What else does Aiyedatiwa want? The President has stopped your impeachment. You have been guaranteed to stay till the end of the tenure. Why is he hell-bent on becoming acting governor?”
There’s been no communication from Aiyedatiwa or his team regarding the accusations and recent updates.
