Politics
Akeredolu: Governance paralysed in Ondo state
Olusesan Laoye
All is still not well in Ondo State as the controversies continue to trail the circumstances surrounding the serious illness of the Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, how he went on sick leave and the manner he eventually handed over power to his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who is now being accused of being over ambitious.
Governor Akeredolu surrendered power to Aiyedatiwa, in a letter to the State Assembly, read by the Speaker, Olamide Oladeji, indicating that he was going on medical leave for 21days and that his deputy should take charge of the state, till he comes back on July 6 2023.
Prior to his temporary exit from power, there had been series of revelations over his state of health, which got so critical before he decided to go on medical leave.
There had also been several attacks from the opposition parties, especially, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic party (SDP), which mounted pressure on the governor to hand over to his Deputy, when it was glaring that he was running the affairs of the state from home on his sick bed.
Though, by the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, the Deputy automatically takes charge in the absence of the governor, the manner with which the transfer of power came about in the case of Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa, was said to have been suspicious, as the Deputy was alleged to have masterminded the series of pressure put on Akeredolu.
It was further alleged that the Deputy was going round to ensure that he takes over and this allegations made a group loyal to Akeredolu to openly attack him, saying he was desperate and excessively ambitious to be in power, capitalizing on his boss’s health condition.
At a stage, it was said that the Deputy got the cabinet divided and had his own supporters among the commissioners, in the hope that with the situation of Akeredolu’s health, it might take longer time for him to recover.
Sources hinted Business Hallmark that the Deputy had been nursing the ambition of coming to power, since it was evident that running the affairs of government would not be easy for the governor and when he earlier tasted full power, during the period that his boss was on vacation and went to Germany for treatment, he prioritized his personal interests over the affairs of the state and that of his boss.
The Deputy, was also alleged to be instrumental to the series of media reports on the state of heath of the governor, as the day to day conditions of health of Governor Akeredolu were being blown open, which was surprising to the governor’s close associates and family.
This, it was also alleged was meant to gain the sympathy of the people of the State and some of his alleged clique in the cabinet and some top civil servants.
Sources further hinted that it was by the grace of God that Akeredolu survived when he was flown to Germany for treatment in April last year, as it was rumoured that his situation was between life and death but to the amazement of all, he came back to continue his work.
Although, it was not the Deputy alone that was being accused over the illness of Akeredolu, one of his aides Ms Bunmi Adamosu, who is the special Adviser to the Governor on Multilateral and Intergovernmental Affairs, was also in the picture.
When the issue of Akeredolu’s health was being covered by his loyalists and members of his family, out of anger the wife of the governor Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu came out to blow the whole issue out of proportion, accusing Ms Adamosu of going out with her husband and said she was administering concoction to her husband, which worsened the situation of his health.
Mrs Akeredolu came out with a voice note, which she sent to the Aketi women WhatsApp platform. The voice note, which lasted 2-minutes 39 seconds confirmed her husband’s sickness and how he has been battling with it and accused Bunmi Adamosu of having an affairs with her husband and asked her to stay away from him.
Mrs. Akeredolu also said that the constant relationship of Adamosu with her husband was damaging his health more, with the concoction she was giving him.
Mrs.. Akeredolu again accused Adamosu of wanting to become the Deputy Governor, saying she got nothing up stairs to enable her be a Deputy Governor either to her husband or someone else.
The governor’s wife out bust that she was ready to protect her husband and threatened to deal with Adamosu caused a lot of tension in the state.
According to Betty Akeredolu, in the voice note, “I warned my husband that Adamosun was evil and not good. And it eventually happened. I am warning her for the last time to stay away from my husband. If you don’t know you are dealing with an Igbo woman I will deal with you mercilessly, you are a terrible human being, go away and enjoy your loot,” the voice note ended.
Mrs Akeredolu’s reaction towards Adamosu triggered off many attacks on her as the family of Adamosu came out to lambast her saying, that if anything should happen to their daughter, Betty Akeredolu would be held responsible.
The Adamosus wrote to the Inspector General of Police and the DSS on Betty’s accusation in a petition signed by the chairman of Elemo Adedipe Dynasty of Akure, Adedipe Olajide, that “the family would hold Betty accountable should anything happen to our daughter and her Assets.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that there is no cause for alarm over Akeredolu’s health The APC Publicity Secretary Steve Otaloro asked people to continue praying for the governor.
Also a group known as the Renewed Mandate Forum, alleged that it was the Deputy that influenced various groups backing him that Akeredolu must transfer power believing that he “is too frail to to continue”.
The group, however, asked the Deputy to pocket his ambition of becoming governor now, adding, that the governor would soon get well and back on his feet to assume work. It added that the Deputy should wait till 2024 and not to do anything against Akeredolu that would prevent him from finishing his tenure.
However, some of the people loyal to the Deputy Governor argued that he has been very loyal to Governor Akeredolu and he knows his limit.
“He knows where his limit starts and ends and he never crossed the line since he has been working with the governor.”
But despite the defense put up by those loyal to the Deputy governor fresh reports about his alleged attitude now that he has been in charge, have emerged. He is being accused of strongly undermining Akeredolu as a person and the Governor’s office.
The situation going on now has forced the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Akeredolu on Special Duties. Dr. Doyin Adebowale to raise the alarm that since the Deputy governor Aiyedatiwa assumed office as acting governor, he has been making unnecessary demand of unrestricted access, aimed at capturing the treasury of the state.
Apart from this, the Deputy governor was said to have been bent on receiving the governor’s allowances and other benefits associated with the office of the governor. It was said that despite the fact that the Deputy governor was made to understand that the governor was just only on leave, and that he was there temporarily on acting capacity and not entitled to what he was demanding for, he insisted that he has to take all that is accrued to the new position he is occupying.
It was alleged that the acting governor, Aiyedatiwa, has been refusing to follow due process and that despite his running grant monthly, he demanded that the governor’s running grant and other emoluments be handed over to him as acting governor.
He was also alleged to have been telling government officials in the governor’s office to render account on how funds allocated to the governor’s office are being disbursed without him following the normal procedure.
Because of the refusal of the government officials that he must follow due process, some of them were said to have been reprimanded by the Deputy governor.
Government officials were said to have told the Deputy governor that even Governor Akeredolu himself, respected due process, as he usually sought the approval of the Ministry of Finance before spending “a kobo”, which it was alleged, did not go down well with him.
Other allegations against the Acting governor are that since he assumed office in acting capacity, he has been rebuffing the Governor’s office protocol’s schedules, an indication interpreted to mean that he “is in a big fight with Akerodolu and ready to take full power without thinking that he is there temporarily and that the incumbent fully elected would soon come back.”
It was further argued that the transfer of power to the Acting governor was constitutional and it was voluntarily done by the governor himself, having realised that he needed to rest and get well properly to continue his work.
It was pointed out that contrary to the allegation of the Deputy Governor being over ambitious, it was even the close associates of the governor that advised him to go for a rest.
And since he can’t leave a vacuum it has become imperative for his Deputy to take full charge until he is back. The group loyal to the Deputy governor stated.
