The ailing Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is dead. He died at the age of 67 after a protracted illness.
Family and top government sources confirmed his demise on Wednesday morning.
The governor died after a protracted battle with an undisclosed illness, though reports said he was down with leukaemia.
Crisis over Akeredolu’s health slowed down Ondo’s progress – Acting Gov
Ondo Commissioner confirms forgery of Akeredolu’s signature
After the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, the governor handed over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on December 13, for him to travel to Germany for treatment after his health reportedly worsened.
Ealier, Akeredolu on June 6 transmitted power to his deputy via a letter to the state House of Assembly.
The Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji, who received the governor’s letter, revealed that Akeredolu would resume work on July 6, 2023.
Mr Oladiji said, “The leave which commenced on the 7th of June, extends to the 6th of July, 2023 due to the Public Holidays on June 12 (Democracy Day) and Eid el Kabir (28th and 29th, June, 2023).”
Meanwhile, the governor returned to the country on September 7, 2023. His wife, Betty, had announced their planned return on her X handle when she posted her husband’s picture in an aircraft with the caption, “Homebound”.
His return to his Ibadan home generated heated controversy as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state queried the governor for remaining in Ibadan and not returning to Akure, the state capital. The governor’s aides however explained that he remained in Ibadan to recuperate as the renovation of his office was ongoing.
Soon after, reports emerged that the governor’s signature was being forged by some commissioners for the selfish interest. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kayode Ajulo, made the accusation in an interview, a position that was later buttressed by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Razaq Obe.
Obe later wrote to Aiyedatiwa, saying, “Under close inspection, I noticed significant differences between the suspicious signature and the handwriting and Mr Governor’s known signature and handwriting in the file.
“Concerned about the gravity of the situation, I decided to seek a forensic review before disclosing my discovery. I sent the suspicious signature and handwriting samples and copies of the old regular signatures to forensic experts, who have now confirmed that the suspicious signature and handwriting were indeed forged.”
Conversely, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, denied the claims, saying the governor was healthy enough to sign documents. She also accused the acting governor of aggravating the political crisis in the state for his political ambition.
While Aiyedatiwa has yet to declare interest to contest the governorship election in 2024, the governor’s loyalists claimed that his interest in the race fuelled the disharmony in the state.
The late governor is however survived by his wife, Betty, and four children.
