Presumptions that the state House of Assembly intends to name Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the acting governor may have hurt President Bola Tinubu’s attempts to intervene in the political crisis roiling Ondo State due to the conflict between Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his deputy.
It was learned that the Assembly might meet on Tuesday to discuss the idea of appointing Aiyedatiwa as interim governor.
Those in the governor’s camp were reportedly hatching plans to thwart the conspiracy against their boss, as Akeredolu has been absent from the state for the last six months due to illness.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, issued a press release on behalf of the administration urging all factions involved in conflict to put aside their differences and embrace harmony, and obtaining pledges to that effect.
The following was part of Ngelale’s statement: “This means that the leadership of the State’s House of Assembly and the APC Chapter in Ondo State is preserved, even as Governor Akeredolu remains Chief Executive of the State, Aiyedatiwa remains Deputy Governor, and members of the State Executive Council continue their respective duties.”
On the other hand, it was reported that Aiyedatiwa met on Sunday night with a few members of the Ondo State House of Assembly when he was in his camp, and he requested that he be named acting governor on Tuesday.
The House of Assembly member who received the call from Aiyedatiwa, requesting anonymity, revealed that the deputy governor questioned the president’s involvement in the situation.
The legislator, who yearned for anonymity, stated: “The deputy governor called a few of us last night (Sunday). He told us that on Tuesday, he needs to be officially named acting governor.
He added, “The President can’t tell us how to run Ondo State,” when we reminded him that it wasn’t one of the resolutions made at the meeting with the President.
Olamide Oladiji, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, stated that the legislators agree with President Tinubu’s decision when he was approached about the development.
Any action that does not align with the resolution that was reached with President Tinubu ought to be ignored, according to Oladiji.
