Aides who served under the immediate past governor of Ondo State, the late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, have faulted claims made by the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, regarding the status of the Ondo Deep Sea Port project and bitumen exploration in the state.

The former aides accused Aiyedatiwa of attempting to misrepresent the facts and diminish the legacy of their late principal, adding that Aiyedatiwa has continued to attack and demean the achievements of the late Akeredolu.

According to the former Chief Press Secretary to the late governor, Richard Olatunde, in a statement issued yesterday and made available to The Guardian, harped on the need to set the record straight to protect the legacy of Akeredolu, whose vision and dedication he said were instrumental in advancing the deep seaport project.

The statement was in response to comments made by the governor during a recent media chat, which the aides have described as a “clear misrepresentation” of the “rigorous” efforts that culminated in securing a port declaration for the state.

During the media chat held last Friday, Aiyedatiwa had stated that the port declaration secured by the Akeredolu administration was flawed and required correction.

While describing the stance of the governor as not only inaccurate but also an unacceptable attempt to trivialise the foundational work laid by their late principal, Olatunde stressed that Aiyedatiwa downgraded the exhaustive and strategic efforts undertaken by the Akeredolu administration on the project.

The former CPS also dismissed the governor’s claim regarding bitumen exploration, emphasising that the Akeredolu administration had successfully secured a licence for bitumen exploration in the state.

The statement reads in parts: “The statement, laced with innuendo, was a clear misrepresentation advanced by the governor. Although this is not the first time such a repugnant statement has come from the governor on this subject matter, we are constrained to set the record straight and place facts at the heart of history so as to protect the legacy of a man whose dreams, passion, and dedication opened the door to the possibility of actualising a Deep Sea Port in Ondo State.