The long-standing tension between the executive and legislative branches in Ondo State seemingly reached a turning point as Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa led a State Executive Council meeting in Akure on Thursday.
This gathering follows months of political discord between the deputy governor and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s loyalists, prompted by the governor’s prolonged absence from the state due to ill health.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu intervened, convening a meeting in Abuja that resulted in an agreement for the deputy governor to continue his duties.
This Executive Council session signals a potential resolution to the political standoff in the state.
Rotimi Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), secured re-election in October 2020 and commenced his second term in February 2021. However, since January 2023, his tenure has faced challenges, with his medical treatment abroad and subsequent return to Nigeria in September. Despite his return, the 67-year-old governor has remained in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Pressure has mounted on Akeredolu from opposition parties to either resign or hand over power to his deputy, in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 constitution.
