By Adewale Momoh, Akure
The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Gbenga Edema, in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, has described the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as one who will always be remembered for his selflessness in the development and growth of Ondo State, the South-West, and the country at large.
Edema, in a tribute to celebrate the 68th posthumous birthday of the late Akeredolu, eulogised the former governor for championing the cause of the people and the voiceless during his tenure, stressing the values and principles that the former governor stood for.
According to the NNPP governorship candidate, Akeredolu’s indelible footprints transcended the entire Southwest and the country due to his fearlessness in giving voice against injustice as well as his posture and stance, which vibrated as beacons of hope for many.
However, Edema expressed disappointment at the lack of efforts by the successor of Akeredolu, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to honour the memory of his predecessor during his posthumous birthday, particularly since he was his direct boss and was occupying the seat he prematurely vacated due to his sudden demise.
Edema lamented the lack of commitment by Aiyedatiwa to immortalise Akeredolu, months after his passing, noting that the remarkable strides and developments initiated by the late former governor face the threat of neglect.
He said: “The late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu was a beacon of hope for the people of Ondo State and the entire South West region. His commitment to justice and equity should have been honoured, but sadly, his legacy is being overlooked.”
The former Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) lamented the neglect of Akeredolu’s remarkable contributions and observed that the late governor, who stood not only for Ondo State but the entire South West against injustice, was not duly recognized by his own state under Aiyedatiwa’s administration.
Expressing dismay over the erosion of Akeredolu’s legacies, Edema stated that Aiyedatiwa had failed to uphold the late governor’s ideals, particularly the current administration’s silence on the recent attack on Amotekun Corps operatives by suspected herdsmen.
While decrying the escalating insecurity in the state under Aiyedatiwa’s leadership, the lawyer and former legislator stated that the tragic incident in Ose Local Government Area, where two individuals were killed by gunmen who also abducted five others a few days ago, calls for concern.
“It is disheartening to witness the decline of the values that late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu worked so hard to instil in our state. His successor’s failure to uphold his legacy is a disservice to the people of Ondo State. He fought against all odds to ensure the creation of the South-West Security Network, which we all know as the Amotekun Corps.
“The recent violence and insecurity in Ondo State are unacceptable. We need decisive action to protect our people and restore peace to our communities.”
Meanwhile, Edema maintained that the state deserves the best in its quest to ensure that it gets the right leadership in the months ahead.
It would be recalled that Akeredolu died on the 26th of December, 2023, in Germany after battling prolonged prostate cancer. Thereafter, Aiyedatiwa, who served as his deputy, was sworn in as governor.
