Ondo cabinet splits over Akeredolu’s incapacitation

• Exco members disunite, pitch tent with Aiyedatiwa
• Group writes gov over alleged plot to impeach deputy

Following alleged claim that Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, is already incapacitated and unable to carry out official duties, the state cabinet is currently divided over the development.

The situation has caused division within the cabinet, with some members of the state executive council taking sides with the deputy governor while others have stuck to their conviction that the governor will recover from whatever ailment he is suffering from.

Some of the cabinet members, who were said to be in the dark as to the actual state of the governor’s health, have been plotting to ensure that they remain in government in case of any eventualities as regards the governor’s health status.

A source that craved anonymity told The Guardian that some of the cabinet members had already begun to express loyalty to the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“The truth is that Aketi is a workaholic. Most times, we are the ones that insist that he must go and rest. After the stressful work for the week, he would rest at the Government House in Akure, but some of our people would still go and disturb him there.

“Then he left Akure and went to Ibadan with the hope that he would be able to rest very well there. The governor has been advised to deliberately spend quality time resting. So, the deputy governor went to Ibadan to see him and took some files with him,” the source stated.

MEANWHILE, an aide to the deputy governor has dismissed speculations about his boss’ alleged attempt to take over power from Akeredolu as baseless.

The aide, who craved anonymity, emphasised that Aiyedatiwa had always been loyal to Akeredolu even before he became governor, and would not do anything to undermine his boss or betray him.

HOWEVER, an advocacy group, Ilaje Development Summit Group (IDSG), has petitioned Akeredolu over alleged plot to impeach his deputy. The group, in an open letter to the governor, signed by its Deputy Executive Administrator, Ola Ajidibo, said his absence had led to some cabals planning to hijack power and thereby making the office of the deputy governor irrelevant.

The situation, it said, had left it with no choice but to call the attention of the governor to various developments in the state. It also said that the current development, especially as it concerns one of their sons, was politics taken too far.

The group also alleged that the state House of Assembly Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, deliberately violated the order of protocol by deliberately not acknowledging the deputy governor’s office.

It also claimed that the continuous harassment of the deputy governor would be seen as a deliberate plot to remove Ilaje people from political calculation in the state.