The return of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to the country after spending about three months attending to his health at an undisclosed hospital in Germany can be described as nothing but a miracle to the people of the state.
Initially, no one thought that the health of the governor had deteriorated to that level. It was not expected that it would take that long for the governor to return to the state based on the information flying around that he had only gone for medical check-up abroad, not until a different version of his health status and rumour of death was flying around in the state.
Miraculously, he resurfaced a few days ago to the surprise of some people who never thought that he could make it back to the country. When the governor was away, LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that some of his appointees had shifted loyalty and thought that the issue of him returning to the seat of power in the state had gone with the wind.
While his return was a relief to some of his aides who had been sidelined since the governor left the country, it was a shock and a not-too-good signal to other camps who had thought that the governor would not return and had reportedly started lobbying for good positions, peradventure the governor did not make it.
Everyone, including the loyal and disloyal, organized widely publicized prayers for his safe return when they felt that it was taking too long for him to return to the state.
At a point, governance in the state was reduced to a song unheard. This left several questions begging for answers on the lips of the residents. The questions then were, where is Governor Akeredolu? What is his current health status? Is he dead or alive? Has he abandoned the state as it is being rumored in some quarters? What is the current status of the state in the scheme of Nigeria politics in the new administration of President Bola Tinubu?
Apart from the long absence of the governor that raised some dust among the power brokers in the state, it was also clear to those who watched with keen interest that the then games, intrigues, shadowboxing, and conspiracy between the camp of the governor and that of his Deputy, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was about the 2024 governorship election.
After much hide-and-seek games between the gladiators, Governor Akeredolu transmitted a letter to the House of Assembly ceding power to the deputy leave to douse brouhaha over who will be in charge of governance in the sunshine state.
As that was gradually going down, another intrigue played up with the allegation from the Deputy Governor’s camp that those interested in next year’s governorship election were responsible for fueling the agitation for the transfer of power and death rumour of the governor.
Aiyedatiwa, after assuming office, said there was no need for the agitation over the health status of the governor.
According to him, each time the governor traveled either for annual leave or for medical reasons, power and administration of the state were transferred to him pending the resumption of the governor.
While addressing the people of the state, Aiyedatiwa said the rumors about the disruption of government activities were misplaced and only arose as a result of impatience and lack of proper understanding of the running of the machinery of government.
His words: “Such misrepresentations and baseless allusions are to be expected when political gladiators by their activities in the build-up to party primaries and gubernatorial elections in any state try to heat the polity. Ondo State cannot be an exception.
“It is, therefore, important to assure our people that governance is on course in the State. Mr. Governor has laid a solid foundation for one administration in the State and there is, undoubtedly, no politically debilitating division in the government. I cannot but enjoin the political class to be guided by good conscience in the pursuit of ambition to sustain the atmosphere of peace and unfettered development that we have been witnessing in our dear State in the last six years.
“Service to our people should, consequently, be the ultimate goal of our politicking. The sustained welfare of our people, the success of our administration, and the victory of our great party in successive elections should, therefore, be our guiding principles. Our administration shall neither be deterred nor distracted.”
At a point, those who were sympathetic to the case of Aiyedatiwa alleged that a ‘Cabal’ was depriving the then-acting governor, now the deputy governor, of the right accrued to the office of the governor.
No doubt, the seat of power in the state was polarised with various divisions emerging within one party trying to outshine each other to remain relevant ahead of the next year’s governorship election.
But when Governor Akeredolu returned to the country on September 7, he didn’t waste time before resuming official duties by convening a meeting with key stakeholders from the state in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, where he landed.
Stakeholders present at the meeting included members of the State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oladiji Olamide; Members of the State Executive Council, led by the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; National Assembly members; led by Senator Jide Ipinsagba; and Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Working Committee, led by the Chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin.
Others were: Youth groups, led by the Ondo APC Youth Leader, Comrade Olawande Ayo Wisdom; Former Local Government Chairmen, led by Hon. Augustine Oloruntogbe; and members of the Foundation of Wives of Ondo State Officials (FOWOSO).
At the meeting, Governor Akeredolu formally handed over his resumption letter to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide also provided a copy to the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was in attendance.
Akeredolu said:” I came back yesterday, and as you know, it was a long journey. I decided that I must meet with you today. God has answered our prayers, and we give Him all the glory. I can assure you that our return is to the glory of God and the prayers of all of you here, and those who wished us well, I thank you very much. God has done what the majority of our people wanted. The majority of our people here knelt and prayed for our return, and we have returned.
“So, because we had to land here in Ibadan first, I said I have to meet with House of Assembly members here. We are here, and we are back. I am back, and by the grace of God, I will be alive to complete my full tenure in office. I want to tell you that I am back, and I will resume work immediately. This is my letter of resumption.”
He equally informed members of the State Executive Council that he had presented his letter of resumption to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
The Governor emphasized:” We are now back, and we give God all the glory. I have to let members of the House of Assembly know first that we have returned. As of today, I’m back as Governor of Ondo State. We thank God that I am alive and here. It’s your prayers that have kept us here. The office of the Governor has resumed full work.”
Akeredolu who said he was deeply touched by the show of love and affection from eminent individuals, groups, Organisations, political associates, and particularly, the good people of the Sunshine State, noted that the outpour of love wrapped in prayers, kind words, cheering messages, affectionate support as well as countless display of varied forms of brotherliness during my recovery process were heart-lifting.
He said, “The love and prayers were, indeed, potent enhancers that aided my recovery and deepened my abiding faith in God and service to humanity. Undoubtedly, gratitude is the greatest spark that lights a fire in the soul. I consider these gestures as uncommon privileges which underscores the importance of the gift of humanity.
“I appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support and love. Mr. President, you are a reliable ally and a dependable leader. I am deeply grateful. I equally thank the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; and all Members of the Senate.
“My profound gratitude to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) led by its Chairman and Executive Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq; and the Progressives Governors Forum, (PGF) led by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma. “
After signing into law the bill creating 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state, however, the first political blow to the camp of the deputy governor was the sack of all his media aides
According to a statement issued and made available to LEADERSHIP by his chief press secretary, Richard Olatunde, the affected aides include Press Secretary to the Governor, Kenneth Odusola; Special Assistant to Governor (New Media) Okunniga Oladipupo; and Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography) Abayomi Samson Adefolalu.
Akeredolu ordered the relieved media aides to submit all government properties in their possession to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor. The governor also disbanded the Press Crew attached to the office of the deputy governor.
According to the statement, “All members of the Press Crew are to report back to their various ministries and stations. Equally, the Ministry of Information and Orientation is directed to provide adequate coverage for the activities of the deputy’s governor office henceforth.”
Before this time, a group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Progressives Conscience Coalition (PCC), had cautioned Aiyedatiwa against planting stories against the governor. The group also accused the deputy governor of being behind the fake stories about his impeachment. It added that the move was to gain undue sympathy after his alleged treacherous conduct.
The group, in a statement signed by its coordinator, Yemi Akinbobola, claimed that negative stories about the governor and the government originated from the deputy governor’s camp.
“It has come to our attention that Aiyedatiwa has continued to sponsor fabricated, concocted, and spurious stories about the governor. Our investigations reveal that damaging stories about the governor’s health originated from the deputy governor’s camp.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor had insisted that there was no rift between him and his boss, adding that those stories on some media outlets are aimed at denting his reputation by some faceless individuals and groups.
Aiyedatiwa said, “The lies would have been ignored but owe it a duty to prevent the public from being deceived into believing the same falsehoods being repeated and recycled in different forms by those whose sole intention is to soil the image of the man who they see as a threat to their political interests.”
According to him,” These faceless individuals who have been hiding their identities because what they are putting out are pure fabrications, are being sponsored by those who are threatened by the profile of the Deputy Governor, his relationship with his boss, and the goodwill he enjoys with the people.”
He further stated that “there is a need to remind the public that this is a continuation of the blackmail started by these same characters some months ago, with false stories planted in some media outlets against the Deputy Governor. However, since those lies did not yield the result they envisaged, the blackmailers have returned with fake stories about disloyalty, aimed at causing disaffection between him and the Governor.
“Many stakeholders have commended the Deputy Governor for the way he handled State affairs while he was Acting Governor, despite all his detractors did to provoke him into taking drastic actions. He avoided their booby traps and they tripped on their banana peels.
“Against their expectations, the Deputy Governor was in constant touch with his principal on official State matters, so there was no gap between them. How can the man who was constantly in touch with his boss and had prepared for his arrival to attend to some other critical state matters, including the signing of the LCDA Law after passage by the State Assembly be surprised by that same arrival? Those behind the falsehoods being peddled around had planned that these concocted lies about disloyalty and impeachment would irritate Mr. Governor and his family to land a devastating blow on the Deputy Governor ahead of the coming governorship election in the State.
“ Now that Mr. Governor is back and has started working, the Deputy Governor remains calm and committed to the duties of his office and unruffled by the lies of desperate politicians and their agents. The Deputy Governor remains loyal to his Principal and no amount of fabricated lies will change that.”
Aiyedatiwa, however, reiterated his loyalty to Governor Akeredolu, adding that “NOBODY has been hired or consulted by him to speak, write, and work against Mr. Governor.”
However, it is not difficult for those who can read between the lines, based on the nature of happenings in the state, that there was a plot to hit the heads of the governor and the deputy governor together ahead of the 2024 governorship election which Aiyedatiwa had already shown interest in contesting.
With the look of things, party insiders say, Aiyedatiwa has stirred up a hornets’ nest of political miscalculation and must go back to the drawing board, if he still wants to sustain his position as the deputy governor not to talk of contesting the next governorship election.
Will the Deputy governor continue with his alleged political movement and a series of strategic meetings with his newly recruited party leaders, some members of the State Executive Council and Abuja political meetings which was said to be the order of the day when his boss was away?
Political observers in the state initially see an outlook of Aiyedatiwa versus a “Cabal” showdown. But whether that will be the final outlook in the coming days is another matter.
