A legal practitioner, Mr. Allen Sowore, has strongly criticized the alleged plan to remove the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, by the Ondo State House. He deemed the allegations against Aiyedatiwa baseless and without merit.
During a plenary session, the Ondo State House made allegations of gross misconduct against Aiyedatiwa during his tenure as acting governor. In response, they sent a letter to the deputy governor, demanding a response within seven days and signaling the initiation of impeachment proceedings.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Sowore expressed his disappointment with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the House, stating that their focus should have been on addressing saboteurs within the government.
Sowore’s statement read, “I had anticipated that Governor Akeredolu would reprimand government officials involved in acts of insubordination, those who hindered effective governance during his absence. I refer to those who obstructed Lucky Aiyedatiwa from assuming full control of the government as Acting Governor while Governor Akeredolu was abroad receiving medical treatment in Germany.”
“Instead, upon his return, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN CON terminated the appointments of all media aides to his deputy. If the governor had the constitutional authority to remove his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, I believe he would have done so on the same day he dismissed his media aides. Apparently, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s ‘offense’ was his attempt to fulfill his duties as acting governor, which did not sit well with certain interests within the government.”
Sowore continued, “Therefore, the recent clandestine move by the Ondo State House of Assembly, making baseless allegations against the deputy governor, appears to be a ploy to discredit him. It seems like an attempt by a group to settle scores due to the deputy governor’s efforts to govern while the governor was away, which disrupted their influence over the state’s affairs.”
The statement further highlighted, “In Ondo State, it is evident that the issue lies not with the individuals who have served or are serving as deputy governors under Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. The true problem is Governor Akeredolu’s authoritarian approach to governance.”
“Both Agboola Ajayi, who served as deputy governor from 2017 to 2021, and the current deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, are respected and dedicated public servants who have established commendable records of service.”
“It is unjust, unconstitutional, unlawful, and disheartening for Governor Akeredolu to allow himself to be influenced by a cabal governing Ondo State remotely from his private residence in Ibadan, effectively leaving the state ungoverned. It is unfair for Akeredolu to consistently mistreat his deputy for carrying out his duties as governor in his absence.”
Sowore’s critique highlights the growing concerns surrounding governance and political maneuvering in Ondo State, shedding light on the power struggles and tensions within the government. The accusations against the deputy governor remain a subject of debate and scrutiny.
