The crisis generated by the ill health of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday, took another dimension after a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Sola Ajisafe accused the acting governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of plans to undermine the governor who is presently recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.
Ajisafe, who spoke while featuring on a radio programme in Akure, ‘Heart of the Matter’, said indications have shown that Aiyedatiwa was planning to reshuffle the State Executive Council to favour his supporters in the government.
Ajisafe said he has it on good authority that the acting governor is putting final touches to his plan to redeploy the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Princess Oladunni Odu to the ministry of commerce, while the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa would be posted to the Culture and Tourism.
The lawyer said such action is contrary to the 1999 constitution and the agreement reached with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the peace meeting held in Abuja.
According to him, “Section 190 of the Constitution did not give the Deputy Governor the power to reshuffle the cabinet. The section gives the Acting Governor the right to act on behalf of the governor not to override the decisions of the governor. There can’t be two governors at the same time.”
Ajisafe described two memos that emanated from the office of the Acting Governor, including the freezing of the local governments and Local Council Development Area (LCDA) accounts and that the Chief of Protocol (COP) to Akeredolu, as capable of undermining the office of the governor.
These actions, and the orchestrated protest by non-state actors demanding the resignation of Akeredolu, he said showed that Aiyedaiwa wanted to succeed his boss through any means.
According to him, the first time President Tinubu summoned the parties in the crisis to Abuja, there was no effort on the part of the acting governor as the leader of the state to reconcile all warring factions, rather he said he recruited non-state actors to protest to demand the resignation of Governor Akeredolu.
Ajisafe said: “These are the people who are not seen when they are needed but always come when their services are needed.
“When Owo was attacked, they were not seen. During covid 19, they were nowhere to be found. When herdsmen were on the prowl, they kept quiet. During the endsars protests, they did no protest. They only came when they had an agenda to push.
“When they returned from Abuja the second term and Aiyedatiwa was made the Acting Governor, these people said Akeredolu was incapacitated and that he should relinquish the seat.
“Section 189 of the constitution talked about permanent incapacitation, not as freely being used by these people. These are the people who are pushing an agenda capable of rocking the boat of progress in Ondo State.”
