The crisis in Ondo State is far from over despite the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
On Friday, President Tinubu held a meeting, which lasted more than six hours at the State House, with a delegation from the state led by Ondo All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, members of the state assembly and deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa in attendance.
The president convened the meeting to douse the tension which emanated as a result of the absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is battling health crisis.
Political actors from different camps had tried to undo each other either through taking over the reins from Akeredolu or impeaching Aiyedatiwa.
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Akeredolu, who has been away from Ondo since he returned from a 3-month medical treatment abroad, was not physically present at the meeting.
Tinubu, who was concerned about the logjam called for a truce between members of the state’s cabinet.
In the resolution reportedly broached by the President, while Mr Aiyedatiwa agreed to carry members of the cabinet and other senior government officials along, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Oladiji Olamide, agreed to halt ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Giving the assurance to carry all along and calling for cooperation to move the state forward, Aiyedatiwa said “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace everyone of you. I put behind all that has happened before now. I’ve let go and also let God, just as the President has advised us.”
But the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo had described the president’s intervention as a mere window dressing, as it is far from being over.
And signs of cracks emerged on Tuesday when the assembly failed to declare the Deputy Governor as the “acting governor”.
Daily Trust reports that at its plenary session after the meeting convened by Tinubu, Olamide Oladiji, Speaker of the House of Assembly, said the state’s political status quo would be maintained in the absence of the governor.
Oladiji revealed that Aiyedatiwa was supposed to submit an undated resignation letter.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let me present to the good people of Ondo State, the resolution reached after the meeting of representatives of the Ondo State House of Assembly, the State Executive Council members, members of the National Assembly from Ondo State and the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress with his Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leadership of our great party.
“That all parties shall embrace peace; that status quo be maintained by all parties;
“That all impeachment proceedings be terminated forthwith, and all court cases withdrawn by all parties;
“That there will no dissolution of the State Executive Council; That undated letter of resignation must be written, signed by the Deputy Governor and submitted to the President; That the party leadership and structures remains intact; That the House of Assembly leadership remains intact;
‘That Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa continues to perform the functions of office as Deputy Governor;
“That three enforcers including the State chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, the Speaker of the State of House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji Adesanmi, and Secretary to the State Government Princess Catharine Oladunni Odu were appointed to monitor compliance with the foregoing resolution,” he said.
While appreciating Tinubu for intervening in the political logjam of the state, the Speaker urged loyalist to sheathe their sword and bury the hatchet by thinking of better ways to accelerate the much-needed development of the state in the interest of the people.
Since Tinubu’s intervention, loyalists of the deputy governor had been in high expectations with the believed that Mr Aiyedatiwa would be declared as the acting governor in the absence of the governor.
