A pressure group, Ondo State Redemption Initiative (OSRI), on Sunday, said despite the efforts of President Bola Tinubu, to restore peace in Ondo State, some individuals had embarked on moves to frustrate the truce brokered by the president.
The group which specifically expressed displeasure over the moves by some individuals sympathetic to the state deputy governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa, declaring a total resistance to the peaceful solution proffered by the president.
In a statement jointly signed by its chairman, secretary and publicity secretary, Pastor Adebayo Ogunsanmi, Jide Oriola and Sunday Ayeni respectively, the group alleged that some persons claiming to be supporting the deputy governor had been working underneath to thwart the peaceful resolution.
It further alleged that supporters of Aiyedatiwa had secured the service of some prominent lawyers to push for the enforcement of the doctrine of necessity to declare the recuperating state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu incapacitated.
The group claimed that the latest move by those individuals claiming to be working for Aiyedatiwa is to ensure that he is declared as the acting governor.
The statement read: “We are very aware that it was true that Aiyedatiwa was asked to sign an undated letter of resignation in the Abuja resolution in the presence of the president.
“But to our surprise, the deputy governor attended and chaired the state Executive Council meeting on Thursday and told the cabinet a different story.”
The group said it had information that the deputy governor claimed that Governor Akeredolu didn’t carry him along in governance to prevent him from helping his followers
It suggested that investigation should have been conducted to ascertain the veracity of the allegations, even as it also alleged that some supporters of the deputy governor are still making efforts to polarise the state House of Assembly for political gain.
However, the Ondo State League of Young Professionals, while reacting to the allegation, maintained that the deputy governor has maintained decorum since the Abuja meeting.
In his reaction, the group spokesperson, Olaleye Akinola, described the allegation as not only false but unfounded saying, ‘In fact, up till now, the deputy governor is the only party man that has not been making any public statements on the outcome of the meeting, unlike others who were part of the meeting.”
Akinola alleged in his statement that, “The Speaker made false claims on the floor of the House over the matter and had to issue two different clarifications later to deny what he said on record.
“The Commissioner for Information also went on national television to repeat the claims which had been denied by the Speaker.
“In all of these, the deputy governor has maintained dignified silence. It is curious, therefore, for those heating up the polity with unguarded statements to be accusing the silent party man as the one trying to scuttle the peace accord.”
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