By Ken Afor
The recent tensions and crises in the state have been attributed by the Ondo State government to the political aspirations of Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, which they believe to be the underlying cause.
These issues have arisen in light of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s deteriorating health condition.
Information Commissioner Bamidele Ademola-Olateju stated this during an interview on Arise News’ The Morning Show, on Friday.
She refuted allegations of the governor’s incapacity, asserting that Akeredolu is still fully operational despite his absence from public events and the state government house.
Ademola-Olateju dismissed concerns about the governor’s recovery from a severe physical ailment, attributing them to mere political noise, despite acknowledging the seriousness of the condition.
She said: “This (noise) is needless, totally needless…This is just about ambition. Too much is going on in Ondo State, but the political noise has drowned everything because it is just based on ambition and this is unfortunate. Governance is not a circus, governance is not a joke.”
The Commissioner criticised Aiyedatiwa’s handling of the situation, stating, “He has gone about it in a very bad way… He has polarised the Exco (State Executive Council), it has divided the State.”
It would be recalled that few weeks ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu summoned a meeting between Aiyedatiwa and supporters of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to put their political ambitions aside.
In the meeting, it was reportedly agreed that Governor Akeredolu remains in charge of the affairs of the state despite his health issues.
But the female Commissioner while responding to the outcome a peace agreement said it was met with disappointment due to Aiyedatiwa’s subsequent actions.
Ademola-Olateju said: “I expected that he will come back and rally the troops, so that we face the issue of governance in Ondo State.”
The political crisis in Ondo State started back in September and October when the State House of Assembly indicted Aiyedatiwa for allegedly approving the sum of N300 million for the purchase of an SUV.
It was gathered that Aiyedatiwa approved the said sum without the knowledge of his principal who was at the time out of the country – in Germany for medical attention.
The matter escalated prompting the House to seek the removal of the Deputy Governor from office but the latter headed to court to secure an injunction preventing the lawmakers and associates of the governor from removing him from office.
Aiyedatiwa succeeded to stop his removal. The matter was however quelled after the intervention of the president.
