As Ondo State governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, is attending to his health, HAKEEM GBADAMOSI writes on the power play that appears to be trailing the absence of the governor in the state.
It is no longer news that the Ondo State governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu is attending to his health challenge in a hospital in Germany. The governor, is currently on medical leave. Apprehension began to grow when after returning from 15-day working vacation in April, he delegated several assignments to his aides, especially his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The anxiety heightened some few weeks ago when Akeredolu was not at the inauguration of the 10th State House of Assembly, though the government said there was no cause for alarm maintaining that the governor was kicking and alive, though still sick.
The main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suggested that the governor step aside and transmit power to his deputy until he is capable to withstand the rigours of state assignments or resign. The party challenged the government to come out openly and declare the state of the governor’s health. The PDP believed that keeping silent about the governor’s condition was a disservice to the governor by the government and the governor’s aides. “The deafening silence from government information machinery suddenly saturated social media space with old videos of Akeredolu dancing and singing praises. As mortals, any human being can fall sick, whether in public office or private life. Rotimi Akeredolu is employed by the people of Ondo State, and maintained with taxpayers’ money,” PDP stated.
Also, the state chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) raised concerns over the same issue. The party, in a statement signed by its chairman, Stephen Adewale said: “Akeredolu’s position is that of a trustee, he is required, as the governor of Ondo State, to inform the residents of Ondo State accurately about his present medical conditions. Ensuring full access to his medical data will also assist and prevent instances and situations where the governor’s health is the daily subject of speculative interpretations, embarrassing commentary.”
Some individuals had also commented on the situation, with some of them citing section 191 of the 1999 Constitution, stating that: “The Deputy Governor of a state shall hold the office of Governor of the State if the office of Governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity, or removal of the governor from office for any other reason in accordance with Section 188 or 189 of this Constitution.”
But the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in the state, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, quickly came out, declaring that the governor was alive but indisposed. Her quick response helped to douse the tension created by the alarm about his health condition.
SImilarly, a source within the government said the recuperating governor had to relocate to his Ibadan residence to get needed rest, saying he had been advised to deliberately spend quality time resting. The source said: “The truth is that Aketi is a workaholic. Often, we are the ones, who have to insist that he takes a break. After the strenuous work he did after resuming, he was resting at the government house but some individuals kept disturbing him at his residence, and he left Akure for Ibadan in the hope of getting some much-needed rest.”
However, after weeks of speculations, Akeredolu formally transmitted power to his deputy, Aiyedatiwa, through the state House of Assembly, intimating the lawmakers of his plans to embark on three weeks medical vacation to attend to his health.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, who confirmed the receipt of the letter, said that the governor would be away for a 21-day leave for medical treatment abroad, the holiday was extended to July 6, 2023, owing to the public holidays on June 12 (Democracy Day) and Eid el Kabir on June 28 and June 29. The speaker, in a statement, said that the assembly had since received a letter from the governor, informing them of being on medical leave. The letter stated that the governor had directed his Deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa to act while away, assuring of his resumption on July 6.
Despite transmission of power to Ayedatiwa, there is noticeable split within the state cabinet with some members pitching their tent with the deputy governor while some distanced themselves from the acting governor. The cold war was attributed to the alleged ambition of Aiyedatiwa to succeed Akeredolu. Though, he has not declared his intention to run in the 2024 gubernatorial election officially, he is said to have technically received his boss’ blessing.
The factions against Ayedatiwa alleged that he was giving priority to his personal interests over that of the state and the governor during his stint as acting governor of the state. Some members of the state executive and lawmakers are said to be resisting all entreaties from Ayedatiwa to join his camp. But, Aiyedatiwa has denied any crack in the state executive council.. He urged the people of the state to keep praying for Akeredolu’s quick recovery rather than causing division within the government. According to him, all the insinuations making rounds in the state was an attempt to cause a distraction for the Akeredolu-led administration.
Ayedatiwa said, “Let me aver without mincing words that rumour about the disruption of government activities are misplaced and only arose as a result of impatience and lack of proper understanding of the running of the machinery of government. In any case, such misrepresentations and apparently 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 up the polity. Ondo State cannot definitely be an exception. It is, therefore, important to assure our people that governance is on course in the State. Mr Governor has laid a solid foundation for the administration in the state and there is, undoubtedly, no politically debilitating division in the government.”
Notwithstanding Aiyedatiwa’s assertion, the power play within the ruling party is hinged on the aspirations of some APC politicians eyeing Akeredolu’s seat. They were said to have read the body language of the governor ahead of 2024. A prominent member of the party said: “Many of these politicians are praying for Akeredolu’s return, to prevent Ayedatiwa from wielding enormous power if he eventually becomes the governor ahead of next year’s election. They believe if Aiyedatiwa becomes the govenor, in case the governor resigns, he ( Aiyedatiwa) would be contesting the election as a sitting governor and will be difficult to contest against him.” The source claimed that some gladiators, who had concluded arrangement to roll out their campaign programme for the governorship race had begun to lobby the regional and national leaders of the party for favour. He alleged that some of them, who are not in the good book of Akeredolu, were already lobbying the presidency for support. The source stated, “Some of the APC aspirants, who already know that Governor Akeredolu cannot support their ambition are not praying for the governor to return to the office now. Some of them are lobbying the presidency, believing President Tinubu would anoint them to be the candidate of the party. I can tell you that series of political meetings and strategies are ongoing in and outside the state currently.”
Meanwhile, some of the aspirants eyeing Akeredolu’s seat, were said to have met and unanimously agreed to suspend all campaigns and shelve their aspirations until the governor is back to his feet. This, according to a source in the party, was in solidarity with the governor who is recuperating in the hospital in Germany.
In another development, traditional rulers in the state have warned politicians from using Akeredolu’s absence to settle political scores. They urged them to keep praying for the governor. The Chairman of the State Council of Obas, the Deji of Akure land, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, who led others to organise a prayer session for the governor, gave this warming to politicians. The monarch frowned at the unnecessary uproar by people who wanted to use the governor’s absence to settle political issues not to plunge the state into any form of unnecessary and avoidable upheaval, saying “rather than causing unnecessary tension, they should rather come together and pray for the governor and the state to seek the good of the land. Similarly, rights activist, Dr Kayode Ajulo (SAN), warned politicians, political office holders and public servants against unholy scheming or crafty actions to destabilise the peace and tranquility being enjoyed in the state owing to their aspirations to succeed Akeredolu in 2024.
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