Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has transmitted power to Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa following a medical treatment which will commence on Wednesday, 13th December 2023.
In a statement on Tuesday, Richard Olatunde, the spokesperson to the Governor said the deputy governor will assume the responsibilities of the governor in acting capacity.
Mr. Olatunde said the governor would “prioritize his health and ensure a full recovery before resuming his official duties”.
“A formal letter regarding the medical leave and a notice formally transferring power in line with the Nigerian Constitution will be transmitted to the House of Assembly.
“As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a widely respected Nigerian, Governor Akeredolu has consistently delegated power to his deputy during his annual vacations. This practice was observed on April 1, 2021, April 1, 2022, April 3, 2023, and July 10, 2023, when he embarked on previous vacations.”
Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has been under intense pressure to delegate power to his deputy following his absence from governance since his return to the country from a sick leave abroad.
The Governor who had been in Ibadan, Oyo State, an act which triggered criticism, was urged to transmit power to the deputy as stipulated by the Constitution of the country.
Speaking on December 6, the State Chairman of the PDP, Fatai Adams stated that Ondo State has been in a precarious state as aides and commissioners have had to travel to Ibadan to get his approvals on memos and documents.
“As we speak, there is no clear leader of government business, the governor remains on his sick bed, the deputy governor is still battling for his political survival, irrespective of President Bola Tinubu’s much-proclaimed intervention and our state continues to wander in darkness.
“Most disturbing, however, is that our finances are suffering as hard-earned resources of the state are being pilfered by interest groups within and outside government, this is to the detriment of our development and wellbeing.”
“We wish to remind Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of his admonition to President Umaru Yar‘Adua when he was ill, he said and we quote, ‘no matter how much you love your country, it should not be at the detriment of your health. It is not your Party or your wife that will determine whether you are capable of handling state matters; it is only your doctors…’
“It is now crystal clear that Akeredolu’s doctors have since instructed him to stay away from his office and state, this certainly underscores the fact that he is currently not fit to handle state matters; we urge Mr Governor to please use his then advice to the late President Yar’Adua and again transmit power to the Deputy Governor in the interest of our dear state.
“We have heard stories of how Babajide (governor’s son) rides the Governor’s official convoy to visit his friends, which is ludicrous and an errant abuse of power and privileges. The mass of Ondo State people abhor, detest, disapprove, and reject such actions.
“We also note the total indiscipline and rudeness of some members of the State Executive Council to the office of the Deputy Governor, it merely indicates that the Akeredolu administration is rudderless, not cohesive, and bereft of the required legitimacy to remain atop of the affairs of Government any longer.
“We urge Governor Akeredolu to have a sense of history, he must care enough about what history will record about him, truly he is Governor, still ailing, the health of the state cannot be dragged to his sick bed alongside him; posterity will not take kindly to this mean and shortsighted attitude.”
