Some loyalists of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, have turned down President Bola Tinubu’s peace moves in the political crisis rocking the state.
There are claims that the loyalists are not pleased with the outcome of the meeting that was held in Aso Rock last week.
Naija News recalls that Tinubu met with the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, members of the Ondo State House of Assembly and other stakeholders over the lingering crisis in the state.
President Tinubu, after the meeting, had directed that Akeredolu should remain the Governor, Aiyedatiwa should be allowed to remain as the Deputy Governor and the Assembly should refrain from any impeachment moves.
According to the Independent, a source revealed that the President asked Akeredolu to proceed abroad on another medical vacation in order to have a comprehensive treatment instead of staying in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, where he has been since early September when he came back from his medical trip abroad.
The Ondo State Governor is expected to write a letter to the Assembly transmitting power to Aiyedatiwa to function as acting governor pending his return if he makes the decision to travel.
A former member of the House of Representatives who is a major stakeholder in Ondo APC, however, said loyalists of Akeredolu are kicking against the President’s directive because they believe Aiyedatiwa cannot be trusted again given what has transpired in the past.
They are also claiming that Aiyedatiwa, as acting governor, will use the resources of the state to advance his political interests ahead of the governorship election slated for November 16, 2024.
The source said, “Right now, Akeredolu’s loyalists are prevailing on the governor not to accept the directive. They believe Aiyedatiwa cannot be trusted with power again. They said even if he agreed to travel abroad, he shouldn’t transmit power to Aiyedatiwa, whom many perceive as a power-hungry deputy.
”There is apprehension in the state owing to the Governor’s absence. His aides keep bringing signed documents from Ibadan, claiming the governor signed it but the loyalists of the deputy governor are alleging that some of those documents are not from the governor and that his signature may have been forged.
”There’s also a division in the Assembly as some of the lawmakers who were hitherto sympathetic to Akeredolu’s cause are now fed up and want power to be transmitted to the deputy as the state is fast degenerating into anarchy.”
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