Ondo crisis: Gov Akeredolu rejects Deputy, Aiyedatiwa’s apology

The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has rejected the apology tendered by his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over the ongoing political crisis in the state.

Recall that towards stemming the political crisis that has plagued Ondo State in recent months, Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday apologised to Akeredolu.

The governor, who reacted to the apology through his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale, also rejected some of the claims made in his apology and insisted that his deputy had a question to answer before the state House of Assembly.

Aiyedatiwa, who blamed the ongoing crisis on desperate politicians in the state, had said he remained loyal to the governor and also denied sponsoring any protest against Akeredolu.

Odebowale, in a statement on behalf of the governor, disagreed with the deputy governor’s point that Akeredolu had intervened in the crisis by asking the House to embrace political solutions to the crisis.

He also faulted the denial of the deputy governor that he had never sponsored any group to protest against the governor.

He said, “Governor Akeredolu does not meddle in the affairs of the House of Assembly of Ondo State, as subtly suggested at the (Aiyedatiwa’s) press conference. There has never been any time when the governor ‘persuaded’ the ‘distinguished members of Ondo State House of Assembly to embrace the political solution offered by the APC, ‘in the face of an impeachment move against’ the Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“The governor, a senior advocate of over two decades, possesses a deep understanding of constitutional democracy. Any snide suggestion of meddlesomeness in the business of the second arm of government by the governor is repudiated with vehemence. Mr Governor cannot descend too low.

“The deputy governor referred to the allegations of malfeasance levelled against him by the House of Assembly as ‘all sorts of lies against my person in the media.’ It is only decent that we advise him to take this defence to the same House of Assembly which came up with 14 allegations of gross misconduct against him.”

Odebowale also took exception to Aiyedatiwa’s reference to Akeredolu’s ill health, saying, “More instructive is the unfortunate reference made to ‘a series of events triggered by the health challenges faced by Mr Governor, which gave rise to misunderstandings, misconceptions, assumptions, and insinuations, and exploited by political contenders preparing for the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial election.”