President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday night waded into the leadership crisis threatening the peace of Ondo State by insisting that Rotimi Akeredolu remains the State’s Governor.
However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has termed the President’s intervention as “mere window dressing.”
Information Nigeria reports that the intervention stems from the need to restore political stability in the months-long crisis between factions loyal to Akeredolu, and the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
After negotiations between the President and the Deputy Governor, representatives of Governor Akeredolu, Federal and State lawmakers of Ondo, officials of the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other stakeholders at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu advised all opposing parties to bury the hatchet and embrace peace.
“This means that Governor Akeredolu remains Chief Executive of the State, Aiyedatiwa remains Deputy Governor, and members of the State Executive Council continue their respective duties, even as the leadership of the State’s House of Assembly and the APC Chapter in Ondo State is preserved,” a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, stated.
Aiyedatiwa, who declared his decision to maintain the status quo and unite all the factions, said: “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one 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.
“And I want to say that with no offence, 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 every other thing 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 and 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.”
The Deputy further pleaded with 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.
READ ALSO: “Ensure You Have A Job, Someone To Look After You Before You Japa”- Dabiri-Erewa Tells Nigerians
“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,” Aiyedatiwa vowed.
Oladiji Olamide, Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, who read the details of the resolution, said, “Our resolution is that one, 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.”
Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, stated, “Our Father, the President, has taken the trouble to settle our rancour in Ondo State. We owe you all the 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.”
The State APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, in his remarks, expressed delight at the outcome of the deliberations, affirming that the party will remain a watchdog to ensure that the new commitments are adhered to.
“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 have solved for us today. And that problem has been resolved permanently,” Adetimehin stated.
Meanwhile, PDP through its Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei, stressed that if Governor Akeredolu does not return to the State, there won’t be any meaningful resolution of the crisis.
He said, “Let us pray that the presidential intervention will not go the way of the Bello Masari Reconciliation Committee set up by APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje. After several trips to Abuja at taxpayers’ expense, both parties returned to court after promising to withdraw all cases.
“Again, major stakeholders in the APC and Ondo State Government were at the Villa to iron out their intractable differences.
“From what we have read about the outcome, Tinubu’s intervention is a mere window dressing. Out of respect for his office, the impeachment of the Deputy Governor will no longer see the daylight, but as long as Akeredolu remains in hiding, it is not yet Uhuru, the cat and mouse race will continue.”
