- Declares To Run For Ondo Governorship Poll
By Ken Afor
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has categorically stated that he never had issues with his former principal, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who made this known on a television programme on Saturday, added that there was never a time he and the late Akeredolu had a face-off.
According to him, all the reports in the media about the rift between him and the former governor were politically motivated, adding that the reports concerning him and his principal were false.
While maintaining his position, Governor Aiyedatiwa stated that the alleged rancor between him and his former principal, as reported in the media, was the handiwork of some ambitious individuals who knew the health condition of the former governor.
He added that these individuals certainly knew that there was going to be a transition which would favour him.
He said, “Let me put this straight for the record sake, I never had issues with my former principal. There was no time we had a face-off, there was no time we had an issue that would demand that I had to make up with him.
“All that were being pushed out at a time were basically political. They were all falsehoods and insinuations because election was coming and they knew the governor was so sick and a lot of things were at play.
“There was no time I had an issue that I needed to resolve with him in terms of crisis. All that you saw at a time were basically political. It was driven by the ambition of few people who knew there is going to be transition in the state and I was advantaged as the deputy.”
Speaking on the November governorship election, Aiyedatiwa, who declared his intention to run for office, reportedly said it is his constitutional right, adding that no sitting governor would want to be in office for one year and leave without completing his tenure.
According to him, “Definitely, I will be running because I am already a sitting governor and let me say this, nobody wants to be governor for one year.
“Common! Give me what the constitution allows me to do. At least, let me have the chance of also running for one more time.”
It would be recalled that Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as governor of Ondo State on December 27, 2023, following the death of Akeredolu, who died of prostate cancer at a German hospital.
Late Akeredolu was finally laid to rest on Friday at his country home in Owo, in the Owo council area of the state after a weeklong series of funeral activities.
