President Bola Tinubu, in his bid to restore political stability in Ondo State, waded into the months-long crisis between factions loyal to the Executive Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, late on Friday.
This came after marathon negotiations between Tinubu and the Deputy Governor, representatives of Governor Akeredolu, federal and state lawmakers of Ondo, and officials of the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
In a statement signed by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, on Saturday, Tinubu advised all opposing parties to bury the hatchet and embrace peace, eliciting commitments to this effect.
This means that Governor Akeredolu remains the state’s chief executive, Aiyedatiwa remains the deputy governor, and members of the state executive council continue to perform their respective tasks, even as the leadership of the state’s House of Assembly and the APC Chapter in Ondo State is maintained.
Speaking at the meeting called by Tinubu, Mr. Aiyedatiwa who expressed his intention to keep the status quo and unify all factions, stated, ”I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one of you. I put behind me all that has happened before now. I’ve let go and also let God, just as president Tinubu has advised us.
“And I want to say that with no offense, no guile in my mind whatsoever. All that has happened is politics. Impeachment is part of politics. If you survive it, it is also politics. It has come. I’ve survived it, and everything else is in the past.
“It is one big family, and our father has intervened to bring all the children together to remain under the same family.
”With the position that I occupy, I will carry every one of you along in every decision that needs to be taken, and in everything that we do, we will work together; the executive and the legislature will work together to ensure that governance is on the right track.”
He urged all members of the State Executive Council to rally around the Governor and himself to “bring the dividend of democracy” to the people of Ondo State.
“All the Executive Council members, I want to plead with all of you to cooperate with me, with the Governor, so that we can bring the dividend of democracy to our people.
“We should respect one another regarding the offices we occupy and our age differences. So, it’s going to be mutual respect.
“And I want to assure the party structure that we will work together because the party is supreme. We will always give you your due respect,” the Ondo State Deputy Governor pledged.
Ondo deputy gov Aiyedatiwa apologies, pledges loyalty to Akeredolu
Rt. Hon. Oladiji Olamide, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, who read the resolution’s, remarked, ”our resolution is that we shall embrace peace.
Secondly, there would be no more dissolution of the cabinet, and the Deputy Governor would maintain the status quo as far as the House of Assembly leadership is concerned.
“We will maintain the status quo as far as the party leadership in the state is concerned and maintain the status quo as far as the leadership of the State House of Assembly is concerned. Thank you, Mr. President.”
Reacting, Princess Oladunni Odu, the Secretary to the State Government, stated,Our Father, President Tinubu, has taken the trouble to settle our rancor in Ondo State. We owe you all our gratitude, sir. We will not disappoint you. We have taken every word you said. And we are going home as one united family under the party, APC.”
Ade Adetimehin, Chairman of the Ondo State APC, expressed joy at the conclusion of Friday’s late-night deliberations in his remarks, assuring that the party will remain a watchdog to see that the new pledges are met.
“Today is my happiest moment. And I know sanity has come to Ondo State. So, on behalf of the teeming supporters of our party in the state, we appreciate our leader, Mr. President.
“PDP has crumbled in the state; virtually, they decamp every day. The only problem we have is the one you solved for us today. And that problem has been resolved permanently,” Adetimehin stated.
