- Sacks all media aides attached to Aiyedatiwa
- Real reasons they were fired – Insiders
- The many sins of Ondo Deputy Governor – Stakeholders
- Blackmail, lies won’t stop my loyalty to Akeredolu, says Aiyedatiwa
BY BRIGHT JACOB
The frosty relationship between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, got messier on Tuesday with the governor sacking all the deputy governor’s media aides.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the affected aides include the Press Secretary to the Governor, Kenneth Odusola; Special Assistant to Governor (New Media) Okunniga Oladipupo; and Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography) Abayomi Samson Adefolalu.
The statement read, “All media aides appointed by the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, and seconded to the office of the deputy governor, have been relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.
“They are to submit all government properties in their possession to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor.
“Similarly, the press crew attached to the office of the deputy governor has been disbanded. Consequently, all members of the press crew are to report back to their various ministries and stations.
“Equally, the Ministry of Information and Orientation is directed to provide adequate coverage for the activities of the deputy’s governor office henceforth.”
Governor Akeredolu returned to the country last Thursday from Germany where he went for a medical vacation.
Blackmail, lies won’t stop my loyalty to Akeredolu
In a swift reaction, the Deputy Governor said that no amount of blackmail, or fabricated lies would stop his being loyal to Governor Akeredolu.
Aiyedatiwa said the lies concocted as news stories by some faceless individuals and groups were aimed at denting his reputation and causing disaffection between him and the governor.
He said the repeated and recycled lies in different forms were orchestrated by those whose sole intention was to soil “the image of the man who they see as a threat to their political interests.”
Aiyedatiwa, who spoke through his media aide, Kenneth Odusola, said the faceless individuals were threatened by his profile, his relationship with his boss and the goodwill he enjoys with the people.
He said, “Stakeholders have commended the Deputy Governor for the way he handled state affairs while he was Acting Governor, despite all his detractors did to provoke him into taking drastic actions. He avoided their booby traps and they tripped on their own banana peels.
“Against their expectations, the Deputy Governor was in constant touch with his principal on official state matters, so there was no gap between them.
“How can the man who was constantly in touch with his boss and had prepared for his arrival to attend some other critical state matters, including the signing of the LCDA Law after passage by the State Assembly be surprised by that same arrival? Those behind the falsehoods being peddled around had planned that these concocted lies about disloyalty and impeachment would irritate Mr. Governor and his family so as to land a devastating blow on the Deputy Governor ahead of the coming governorship election in the state.
“Now that Mr. Governor is back and has started working, the Deputy Governor remains calm and committed to the duties of his office and unruffled by the lies of desperate politicians and their agents. The Deputy Governor remains loyal to his Principal and no amount of fabricated lies will change that.”
Why they were fired
However, facts emerged on Tuesday night on why the media aides attached to the office of Aiyedatiwa were fired.
An insider source revealed that the aides were sacked as a result of “insubordination and flagrant disregard to the appropriate authority.”
“The Deputy Governor’s photographer openly abused the governor on his WhatsApp status and the screenshot is with the governor’s people.
“The Deputy Governor’s Press Secretary was investigated and findings showed that he had engaged in planting some stories against the governor.
“The Deputy Governor’s media aides are the ones causing disaffection in the government. They are the ones going about saying Aiyedatiwa will complete Akeredolu’s tenure. It’s like they wished the governor dead,” a credible source in government told The Point on Tuesday night.
Another source said that more troubles awaited the Deputy Governor, saying Akeredolu was set to “decimate him bit by bit.”
It was also gathered that while Akeredolu was on medical vacation, the Deputy Governor’s media team rendered the Governor’s team redundant.
“They were naïve. They were busy promoting the Deputy Governor and addressing him as ‘incoming Governor.’ They have forgotten that it was the Governor that employed them before they were posted to the Deputy Governor’s office,” the source added.
The source also claimed that while the Deputy Governor was acting, he attended a function in Abuja with other governors where he complained that he was not allowed to control the Governor’s security vote.
He was quoted as saying that whereas he was the Acting Governor, his security vote was not enough for him to perform.
Some of the governors who were Akeredolu’s allies were said to have called him in Germany and warned him to beware of his second-in command.
“Aketi was highly disappointed because he trusted Lucky so much. This is someone who does not have any pedigree at all. Wait and see what will happen again in the coming weeks. Aketi will strip him naked before the governorship election,” the source guaranteed.
Ahead of next year’s governorship election in Ondo State, leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress and other political parties have commenced internal politicking to have a commonly acceptable candidate, as endorsements for interested aspirants have continued to trend within the political circle in the state.
Though he has yet to publicly declare his interest for the plum job, many political watchers monitoring the development believe that Aiyedatiwa is keenly interested in slugging it out with others in a few months’ time when the ruling party will hold its primary.
But, clearly, Aiyedatiwa is currently facing a battle for political survival ahead of next year’s governorship election.
Politicians in the state are worried that history is about to repeat itself because Governor Akeredolu seems to be unlucky with having a deputy who is loyal and trustworthy.
“Governor Akeredolu has not been lucky with those he picks as deputies. In the governor’s first term, he was said to have given so much power to his then-deputy, Agboola Ajayi. Governor Akeredolu fell ill at the time and travelled abroad for treatment. In his absence, Ajayi was said to have lobbied the then-9th Assembly under Speaker Bamidele Oloyolegun to declare him acting governor. Ajayi’s quest failed after Akeredolu returned hale and hearty. Following that incident, the once robust relationship between Akeredolu and Ajayi went sour till the end of his first tenure,” a top politician, who did not want his name mentioned, owing to the sensitivity of the issue, said.
