Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, will proceed on another medical leave on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, as a follow-up to his treatment for leukemia.
A statement signed by Richard Olatunde, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor on Tuesday said that during his medical leave, Akeredolu will prioritise his health and ensure a full recovery before resuming his official duties.
The statement added that a formal letter regarding the medical leave and a notice formally transferring power in line with the Nigerian Constitution will be transmitted to the House of Assembly.
It reads in part, “In the absence of Governor Akeredolu, the Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, will assume the responsibilities of the Governor in acting capacity.
“Governor Akeredolu expresses his gratitude for the unwavering support and affection of the people of Ondo State. He assures them that his administration remains committed to the path of progress and prosperity for the people.
“As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a widely respected Nigerian, Governor Akeredolu has consistently delegated power to his deputy during his annual vacations. This practice was observed on April 1, 2021, April 1, 2022, April 3, 2023, and July 10, 2023, when he embarked on previous vacations.”
The statement comes hours after Tinubu directed the ailing governor to transfer power to his deputy, Aiyedatiwa.
SaharaReporters had reported that the transfer of power will be done via electronic signature (e-signature) as the ailing governor was too weak to sign any document.
Tinubu reportedly told people at the meeting he had summoned to resolve the leadership crisis in Ondo on Monday that Akeredolu was incapacitated and could not sign a letter anymore.
SaharaReporters reported on Sunday that President Tinubu had summoned the state deputy governor, Aiyedatiwa and House of Assembly Speaker, Olamide Oladiji to Aso Villa in Abuja for an urgent meeting slated for Monday.
Monday’s emergency meeting was the second one summoned by the President to resolve the leadership crisis in the state following the governor’s absence from office since July 2023.
The meeting at the instance of Tinubu was due to mounting pressure from the civil society organisation Take-It-Back, which had threatened to commence mass protests across Ondo State from Saturday, December 16 to demand Akeredolu’s resignation.
The ailing governor has gone AWOL since returning to Nigeria in September from a three-month medical leave in Germany.
Apart from Aiyedatiwa and Oladiji, Akeredolu’s son, Babajide, who was appointed by the governor in November 2021 as the Director General of the Performance and Project Implementation Monitoring Unit, Office of the Governor of Ondo State (PPIMU), was one of those present at the meeting.
The senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim, was also present.
Sources told SaharaReporters that it was first agreed that the State House of Assembly should invoke the doctrine of necessity to make Aiyedatiwa the acting governor, but some of those present pleaded with President Tinubu that it would humiliate the ailing governor.
“During the meeting, it was agreed that the State House of Assembly should invoke the doctrine of necessity and make Lucky Ayedatiwa the Acting Governor, but the Speaker and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim pleaded that the ailing governor would be humiliated,” one of the sources said.
“The son (Babajide) then promised to go and obtain his father’s e-signature to pen a letter to the State House of Assembly, transferring power to the deputy governor.”
Sources at the meeting also disclosed that someone raised concern that since there was already a case of forgery established in handling the affairs of the state, it would not make sense for power to be transferred through such dubious means.
SaharaReporters earlier exclusively reported that Akeredolu’s son had sought the assistance of President Tinubu to get an air ambulance to return his ailing father to Germany where he had been receiving treatment.
The Ondo governor has recently been receiving treatment for leukemia and undergoing chemotherapy in Nigeria, which SaharaReporters learnt had been knocking him out for up to 10 hours after every medication.
Family sources told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that Akeredolu’s condition had worsened.
“He is no longer able to speak,” one of the sources said.