Gov Akeredolu To Deputy: My Hands Are Tied, Can’t Stop Impeachment Proceedings Against You

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state  has submitted that he cannot stop impeachment proceedings against his deputy, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, noting that his hands are tied.

The state House of Assembly had last month begun impeachment proceedings against Aiyedatiwa following the governor’s return to the country.  Akeredolu had  been on medical vacation since June 7, 2023 ,and  Aiyedatiwa had gotten recognized as acting governor.

Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former commissioner at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, became the Deputy Governor of the Sunshine State on February 24 , 2021 after Governor Rotimi Akeredolu won re-election.

He had become Akeredolu’s running mate after  the former Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi left the APC for   PDP and later the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)  ahead of the gubernatorial election that was held on October 10,2020.

 Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in a statement  issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, Dr Doyin Odebowale,  asked embattled Mr. Lucky to face the situation.

Odebowale also accused the deputy governor of denying the truth by claiming  that he had never sponsored any group to protest against the governor.

‘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 leveled 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’ the statement said.

Akeredolu’s aide also condemned the idea of making reference to the governor’s ill health.

‘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.

The good people of Ondo state are too discerning to be hoodwinked with dissembling equivocation.

Keen observers of events, as they have been unfolding in the state, cannot miss the import of the malicious intents, insensitive posturing and diabolical projections of the last six months in the government of the Sunshine State’ the statement added.

Recall that Aiyedatiwa had  during the press conference he presided over yesterday  asserted that he remains loyal to  Akeredolu while making reference to efforts to apply ‘political solution’ to the ‘matter’ between him and the state parliament, the deputy governor had urged the governor to  ‘intervene’ but this was not direct or clearly expressed.

‘I am deeply saddened by the embarrassment and discomfort that Mr. Governor has faced due to the barrage of negative news in the state as a result of the events of the last few months. I tender my sincere apology to Mr Governor on this as our leader in the state.

Our beloved state has witnessed a series of events triggered by the health challenges faced by Mr Governor, which gave rise to a lot of assumptions, falsehoods, insinuations, misunderstandings, misconceptions, and exploitation by political contenders preparing for the upcoming 2024 governorship election in the state.

We have continued to read in the media all sorts of lies fabricated to create crisis just for the purpose of election. The recent impeachment attempts by the House of Assembly and the ensuing reactions have further created division and chaos, with my loyalty to Mr Governor being questioned.

It is, therefore, imperative for me to put on record that there has never been any issue between Mr Governor and myself and I have never undermined him. Political actors have only taken advantage of his absence to create a non-existent crisis for their own selfish interests.

It is in reference to all of the above that I tender my unreserved apologies to Mr Governor for the embarrassment and discomfort that the political chaos of these past months has caused him and the good people of Ondo state.

I remain fully committed to the principles of good governance that Mr Governor has established, and I pledge my unwavering loyalty to him, and I will continue to submit myself under his able, courageous and selfless leadership.

I completely distance myself from any group or individuals holding protests or calling on the governor to resign. I have never commissioned any individual or group to engage in such protest or campaign’ he had submitted.-Team@orientactualmags.com
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