Tinubu Steps In as Ondo Assembly Contemplates Akeredolu’s Fitness for Governance

• Ondo State lawmakers plan to declare Governor Akeredolu unfit for office, appointing his deputy as acting governor amid health concerns
• Akeredolu’s prolonged absence creates a governance vacuum, leading to a power struggle, prompting APC leadership intervention and potential resolutions

Lawmakers from the Ondo State House of Assembly are poised to declare Governor Rotimi Akeredolu unfit for office, with plans to appoint his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the acting governor.

Akeredolu’s health struggles have prompted this move, with the governor having previously transferred power to his deputy in May to focus on his well-being. However, upon his return from a three-month medical leave in Germany, a power struggle ensued between Akeredolu’s loyalists and the acting governor.

The governor, having resided in Ibadan upon his return, has yet to set foot in the Sunshine State. Despite claims by Akeredolu’s aides that he resumed office on September 8, governance appears to be on autopilot.

The absence of Akeredolu and the apparent inability of Aiyedatiwa to act have created a governance vacuum, a situation exploited by politicians gearing up for the 2024 governorship election.

Lawmakers are set to convene a plenary session to address the political crisis, prompted by embarrassment over their perceived silence on Akeredolu’s prolonged absence from power due to health issues.

Amidst these developments, national APC leadership intervention has fueled discussions within the assembly. The proposed agenda includes the declaration of Aiyedatiwa as the acting governor, a move contested by some lawmakers despite APC leadership backing.

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Mr. Olatunji Oshati, confirmed the meeting, emphasizing that the assembly would discuss the political logjam, withholding the exact agenda for now.

In a bid to resolve the escalating feud, President Bola Tinubu is set to meet key political figures in Ondo. The Abuja meeting, convened by Tinubu, aims to address the reported political crisis, involving major stakeholders in Ondo APC and members of the State Assembly.

Alex Kalejaye, spokesman for the APC in Ondo, acknowledged the impending meeting, expressing optimism that the presidency’s intervention would quell the ongoing political discord in the state. The intervention is seen as a crucial step towards resolving the issue that has persisted in Akeredolu’s absence.