By Ayo Yusuf
It is hardly surprising that the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, who returned from a three-month medical leave in Germany less than a week ago began the process of consolidating his powers by taking measures to cut his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, down to size.
The escalating tension between Governor Akeredolu and Mr. Ayedatiwa which started over the deputy’s alleged desperation to assume office as acting Governor when Akerodolu fell ill, has continued throughout the latter’s long absence from office.
During the three month period he acted as Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Aiyedatiwa reportedly created more enemies for himself especially among the cabal loyal to his boss as led by Betty Akeredolu, the governor’s wife.
According to sources, the decision to sack Mr. Ayedatiwa’s media aides was not unconnected with the role they played in orchestrating media reports against the governor and his wife thus fueling the controversy.
In a short statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Richard Olatunde, Tuesday, the entire media team of the deputy governor was disbanded.
The statement said; “All media aides appointed by the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Aketi, SAN, CON, and seconded to the office of the deputy Governor, have been relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.
“The affected aides include Press Secretary to the Governor, Kenneth Odusola; Special Assistant to Governor (New Media) Oladipupo Okunniga; and Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography) Samson Abayomi Adefolalu.
They are to submit all government properties in their possession to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor.
“Similarly, the Press Crew attached to the office of the deputy governor has been disbanded.
“Consequently, 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.”
The removal of his media aides would no doubt curtail Mr. Aiyedatiwa’s media presence at a period when gladiators in the battle for who succeeds Mr Akeredolu as governor in 2024 crave serious visibility.
Mr. Aiyedatiwa who has been Mr. Akerodolu’s deputy since February 2021 was in pole position to succeed his boss until the events leading to the transmission of power to him by the House of Assembly led to disagreements.
Two camps immediately emerged after Governor Akeredolu’s health collapsed in June; one loyal to the ailing governor who was fighting for his life and the other trying to prop up Mr. Aiyedatiwa to assume the number one office if the governor proved too incapacitated to continue in office.
The lack of information about how grievous the governor’s ailment was further muddled the waters leaving the cabinet divided as key players jostled for positions.
In his first broadcast to the state as acting Governor, Mr Aiyedatiwa tried to repair the damage by blaming the crisis on aspirants seeking to succeed Governor Akeredolu from both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“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,” he said.
However the power vacuum created by the governor’s absence and the lack of clear information about his illness led to even more rumours and infighting amongst various camps.
Mr Aiyedatiwa’s three month tenure as acting governor was therefore marred by intrigues as his motives were constantly been questioned by both the opposition parties in the state and loyalists to the absent governor who feared the usurper was expanding his base in preparation for full onslaught on the Akure government House.
Unconfirmed reports of a secret dalliance with the leadership of the state House of Assembly and some of the commissioners in Mr. Akeredolu’s cabinet led to accusations of disloyalty and betrayal which the deputy governor had consistently denied.
This was believed to be responsible for the sudden emergence of reports on social media accusing Mr. Aiyedatiwa of brutal domestic violence against his wife.
Mr. Aiyedatiwa grappled to deflect what he called an obvious smear campaign aimed at destroying his political career but as much as he denied the allegation of wife battery, the reports had persisted for weeks in the news channels.
Pundits noted that with the Ondo Governorship election slated for October next year and a sick absentee governor it was obvious that such power tussle would emerge.
However, with the governor’s arrival last Thursday and his promise to see out his second term which ends in February 2025 there had been hope that the state would now enjoy a less turbulent political atmosphere.
In a veiled reference to his detractors the governor said, “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 down 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 for 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.”
However his return has not ended the intrigues as he struggles to consolidate his powers and his hold over his administration.
Last weekend, he called a stakeholders meeting where he met with members of his cabinet, Senators and House of Representatives members from the state, members of the Ondo House of Assembly, party officials and other stalwarts in his Ibadan home where he continues to reciprocate after his return.
Unfortunately, criticism trailed the meeting as members of the opposition PDP in the state and even groups within the APC queried his continued stay in Ibadan and why he didn’t come straight to Ondo State when he returned.
In a statement issued by the PDP spokesperson in Ondo State, Kennedy Peretei, the party said it was “absurd” for the governor to stay in Oyo instead of Ondo, and a sign of disrespect to the residents of the state who had been praying for his recovery.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter expected that, now that the Governor is back in Nigeria, his first point of call should have been Ondo State, where everybody prayed for his quick recovery and return to his duties,” the statement read.
“Instead, he headed for Ibadan and instructed all State Cabinet members and State Assembly men to join him.
“This is very absurd and an insult on the sensibility of the Ondo State people. If Akeredolu has been certified fit to resume duties, let him notify the Assembly accordingly to conclude the remainder of his tenure for which he has been barely tolerated,” the statement added..
Similarly, an APC pressure group, the Ondo Solidarity Forum issued a statement signed by its acting chairman, Femi Ogunleye, and publicity secretary, Kayode Fasua, stating that the mass movement of members of the executive and legislative arms of government from Akure to Ibadan “to make Akeredolu resume office”, is a mockery of democracy and a master plan by the cabal in the state.
“Why, therefore, the hurry to make Governor Akeredolu resume office when he is not yet fit? It is indeed a show of shame for the cabinet members and other aides in the executive arm and the entire members of the House of Assembly loaded in a coaster bus like Boys Scout, to form a long convoy of vehicles from Akure to Ibadan, to go proclaim that Akeredolu, who is still on vacation, has resumed as governor.
“We are all human beings and are susceptible to one ailment or the other, so we particularly feel for Governor Akeredolu and pray for his full recovery. However, if the governor was truly fit enough to resume office, he would have stormed Akure and be ushered to a tumultuous welcome or show up at the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka to continue his duties.”
Political pundits have attributed most of the political crisis in the state to the struggle for power as Governor Akeredolu rounds off his second tenure and party primaries and election are expected to take place before the end of next year.
TheNewDiplomat gathered that there are so many political gladiators plotting and strategizing to win the tickets of their various parties for the next year’s governorship election, particularly among the ruling party, APC.
APC has been head and shoulders over other parties in terms of preparation for the forthcoming governorship election in the state leaving behind the major opposition party, the PDP.
Analysts say as things stand, aspirants in other parties, including the PDP stand no chance of winning the 2024 governorship election in Ondo State.
Currently, there are more than 15 aspirants in the APC alone including the deputy governor and some members of the cabinet jostling to succeed Mr. Akeredolu by next February.
Apart from Mr. Aiyedatiwa, another strong contender for the job is Hön. Wale Akinterinwa who has been finance commissioner longer than anyone in the state’s history.
Other aspirants include: Chief Olusola Oke (SAN), Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Hon Gbenga Edema, a former member of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Princess Oladunni Odu, Secretary to the State Government, Engr. Ife Oyedele, Executive Director Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Dr. Soji Ehinlanwo, Hon. Duerimini Isaacs Kekemeke, Southwest APC Vice President, Mr. Olusola Iji, former Ambassador, Hon. Jimi Odimayo, House of Rep member, and Mr. Matthew Oyerinmade.
It used to be thought that the deputy governor would be difficult to beat when the time comes but his stocks had since gone down.
On Tuesday after the governor sacked his media aides Mr. Aiyedatiwa dismissed allegations of his betrayal of Mr Akeredolu describing them as lies.
In a statement put forth by his press aide, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, the deputy governor said reports of his disloyalty were spread by some faceless groups and individuals in the state to soil his image for political reasons.
“We 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,” the statement said.
It added: “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.”
Mr. Odusola-Stevenson further stated that, “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 own banana peels.”
As the intrigues in Ondo continue to play out, it is difficult to say how the matter would eventually be resolved but one thing is certain, the sacking of Mr Aiyedatiwa’s media aides is only the first salvo in a war which might yet witness many more attacks and counter attacks.
