Since his return to the country after his medical leave abroad, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has moved swiftly against those who were alleged to be making political gains from his ill-health,
It is no more news that the Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has returned to the country after some months of a medical vacation in the European country of Germany. After enjoying enough rest at the foreign land , Governor Akeredolu landed in the country a few week ago and went straight to his personal residence in Ibadan , the Oyo State capital, amid jubilation among his family friends and associates, particularly, the political associates. After informing the state House of Assembly of his return, he settled down and began work immediately.
However, it could be observed that his coming did not go down well with some politicians in the state, most especially those in the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress. Some of them had already drawn plans to capitalize on the pitiable health condition of Mr Governor to manoeuvre their ways and take vantage position in the forthcoming governorship election next year against the interest of the governor, thinking that it was all over for the governor to return to the office, due to the news that the governor was incapacitated and would not be fit to rule the state again.
While the governor was receiving treatment in Germany, so many intrigues were said to have happened in the political circle of the Ondo APC which put a question mark on the loyalty of the so-called aides and political associates of the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum. It was alleged that some of the aides of the governor diverted their loyalty to another direction and began to work towards clinching power in the 2024 governorship election.
It was also gathered that some members of the state executive council, then, led by the former acting governor (who has now moved back his position as the deputy governor following the governor’s return), Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was divided while the state suffered for it for a while, in terms of governance because it was obvious that politics overshadowed governance at this period. The reason for this development was not unconnected with the political interests of the governor’s cabinet members and some other aides, who were allegedly planning towards the 2024 polls. Everybody wants to become governor.
Aiyedatiwa and some members of the Akeredolu’s cabinet were said to have been aspiring to contest for the governorship election next year. Consequently, the politics was allegedly heated up to the extent that each of the gladiators perceived one another as enemy, despite being a member of the same political party, even though they appeared to be friendly at the unavoidable public functions. They also allegedly monitored the public and private activities of one another with the aim of reporting to their boss who is loyal and who is not loyal.
A source said every account of their loyal and disloyal deeds was reported to the governor when he returned, hence the commencement of the “surgical operation” in the government house.
This, our source said, led to the sack of some media aides of the governor, attached to the office of the deputy governor, few days ago.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Akeredolu, Mr Richard Olatunde, the affected aides, included 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. The former aides were alleged to have involved themselves in some act suspected to be disloyal to the governor while on medical vacation.
It was gathered that the axed aides, while displaying loyalty to their direct principal, Aiyedatiwa, were sending some anti-governor’s posts on the social media while the governor was on medical leave.
“One of the sacked aides openly abused the governor on his WhatsApp status and the screenshot is with the governor’s people. The deputy governor media aides are the ones causing disaffection in the government. They are the ones going about saying Aiyedatiwa will complete Akeredolu’s tenure. It’s like they wished the governor dead. One of them was investigated and findings has it that he had engaged in planting some stories against the governor,” the source narrated.
Similarly, some groups have been accusing the deputy governor of not being totally loyal to his boss as they alleged that on many occasions; the deputy governor had been caught exhibiting some acts of disloyalty against his boss.
Having discovered the alleged disloyalty, a source among the cabinet members disclosed that Aiyedatiwa was allegedly not allowed, by some powerful governor’s loyalists, to perform certain functions in the office as an acting governor in order not to utilize the governorship position to take some steps that could shoot him ahead of the other political gladiators in the ruling party.However, Aiyedatiwa denied all the allegations against him in a statement issued by his erstwhile media aide, Mr. Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, describing all the allegations against him as the handiwork of his political detractor and faceless groups and individuals in the state to soil his image and pull him down politically. He expressed his total loyalty to his boss.
The Punch
-Advertisement-
Grab our latest Magazine, "Hon. Chief C.O.C Akaolisa gets justice". Get your order fast and stress free.
For more details about Newswire Law&Events Magazine, kindly reach out to us on 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk. You will be glad you did
