Ondo crisis: Aiyedatiwa faces more hurdles as Assembly sheathes sword

Despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention and Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s assumption of office as the acting Governor of Ondo State, PETER DADA   writes that last peace has not returned to the state

There is an indication that the lingering political crisis in Ondo State has been put to rest after Governor Rotimi Akeredolu transmitted power to his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to continue the leadership position in an acting capacity.

In doing this, the governor, who proceeded to Germany for another medical vacation as a follow-up to the treatment, had communicated to the state House of Assembly, through a letter, informing them of the development. This singular act has calmed down all the warring groups in and outside the government.

It was believed that the timely intervention of President Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti and other elders in the Sunshine State made this (peace) to happen as the political quagmire, which involved Governor Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa ( now acting governor), members of the state Executive Council, and the state House of Assembly, placed the state in the realm of uncertainty as the governance was allegedly abandoned for politics.

As it was reported, the crisis began with Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa when the former travelled to Germany for a medical vacation in April this year, power was transmitted to Aiyedatiwa, in an acting capacity, but some aides and associates of the governor accused him of being disloyal to Akeredolu. Some alleged he was happy with the governor’s then deteriorating health condition while others alleged that he was jubilating when it was rumoured that Akeredolu had passed away, knowing full well that he would become the next governor automatically if the governor was no more. He was also alleged to be too ambitious to succeed Akeredolu following various social media posts by some groups suspected to his loyalists.

When the governor returned to Nigeria in September and took back power, the crisis was seen to be more intense as the state House of Assembly, instituted an impeachment process against Aiyedatiwa accusing him of being involved in some acts tagged gross misconduct while he was then acting governor.

He, however, managed to survive the impeachment through a legal process. He has also denied being disloyal to  Akeredolu in many fora.

It is believed that the intervention of the President who was reported to have directed the governor to transmit the power to Aiyedatiwa, saved the state from the continued political melee.

Lately, since he became the acting governor, Aiyedatiwa was said to have been making moves to put things in order and to mend fences where broken. In his recent state broadcast, he called for support and cooperation from all stakeholders as he admitted that the political crisis had drawn the state back and there was a need to put aside ill feelings against one another and promote the good vision Akeredolu has for the state.

He said, “ As a government, we must appreciate the sovereignty of the people that voted us into office and we regret in no unmistakable terms the toll which this whole episode had inflicted on the psyche of the people and the development of the state. Despite all these, my dear people, I come to you today, to urge you all not to relent, as you have always done, in your prayers for the quick restoration of good health and strength to our leader, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, (SAN).

“Also of paramount importance is the expectation of our people that we continue to deliver on the mandate given to Mr Governor and my humble self. We must return quickly to the path of accelerated progress that has eluded the state in the last few months. We must excuse unnecessary distractions. We can no longer be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We must stand together until the end. We must come back stronger and more determined to advance the welfare and security of our people, being the primary object of government as encapsulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. Let us build a shared future from a divided past. We owe no less to the good people of the Sunshine State.”

On the other hand, it is still believed in some quarters that the crisis is only suspended not resolved due to its political nature. According to the school of thought, all the gladiators in the crisis are fighting for their personal and political interests. Aiyedatiwa, who is the acting governor, has the ambition to succeed Governor Akeredolu ditto some other members of the state executive council.

It was gathered that one of the reasons he is having problems with other members of the cabinet is because of the 2024 governorship election. Apart from Aiyedatiwa, in Akeredolu’s cabinet about three others are preparing to contest for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress in the primary that would come up in April 2024.

The Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Oladunni Odu, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Francis Faduyile are from the Ondo South Senatorial District.

The three of them, all from the South Senatorial District where the party zoned its governorship ticket, have signified their intention to contest the forthcoming election.

There are other members of the party from the zone who are also willing to be Akeredolu’s successor in 2025, hence the political manoeuvring gives the impression that there might still be a crisis of who gets what in the future.

Also, investigations revealed that there are plans to ensure Aiyedatiwa does not use his current position to suppress others in clinching the party ticket in 2024.

For Aiyedatiwa to succeed in his current office as acting governor he needs to play the game very well among the Ondo’s political gladiators so that politics would not continue to affect governance and halt development.

Secondly, as he has admitted that the political crisis had caused stagnation for the state in the areas of good governance, Aiyedatiwa should ensure all ongoing projects are not abandoned before the end of the current administration, and the stagnant economy of the state should be activated for the sake of the people. But these require unity among the cabinet members and other aides of the governor.

The issue of the newly created Local Council Development Areas is another burning issue in the state which the acting governor needs to address as there have been many protests in almost all the 33 LCDAs over headquarters’ setting up. It was gathered that, although all the chairmen of the LCDAs were appointed by Governor Akeredolu, some APC members in the state kicked against the choice of the chairmen. All the protesters and the aggrieved are looking up to Aiyedatiwa to act on the alleged lopsidedness.

Meanwhile, a group in the state under the auspices of Sunshine for Better called on the acting governor to probe the allegations of forgery of Governor Akeredolu’s signature and other atrocities allegedly committed by some people in the government when the governor was taking care of his health

The group, in a statement titled, ‘Aiyedatiwa must revive Ondo’, issued by its coordinator, Gbenga Abdul, alleged that a lot of things happened during the absence of Governor Akeredolu.

The statement read, “ We are glad that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has done the right thing by transmitting power to the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to act while he has gone back to continue his treatment in Germany. The development has no doubt suppressed the tension on the ground.

“As we are congratulating the Acting Governor on the new position we want to urge him to set up an investigation panel on various atrocities perpetrated in the government of Arakunrin Akeredolu while the governor was taking care of his health.

“ We have some privileged information that some people in government have used the ill-health of Mr Governor to commit fraud in his government. One of them is the issue of forging the governor’s signature. We know this has been denied but we want the acting governor to probe the activities of some officials of the government over issues of finances of the state in the last few months.”

Punch