REVIEW… Ondo three-way political crisis: Who will overcome?

The ongoing triangular saga between Ondo Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the state’s lawmakers seems to be unending after the governor rejected an apology issued by the Deputy on Thursday.

In order to prevent the impasse with the governor from further snowballing, Aiyedatiwa, apologised to Akeredolu over the recent political crisis in the state.

At a media briefing in Akure, the state capital, Aiyedatiwa expressed regrets that negative reports that had trailed the crisis must have caused embarrassment to the governor in the last few months.

Pledging his loyalty to the governor and commitment to the development of Ondo State, the deputy governor detached himself from any protest and calls for the governor to resign over his health crisis.

“I am deeply saddened by the embarrassment and discomfort that Mr. Governor has faced due to the barrage of negative news in the state as a result of the events of the last few months. I tender my sincere apology to Mr. Governor on this as our leader in the state,” he said.

However, in his reaction, the governor in a statement signed by Doyin Adebowale, his Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy, said he “may not be averse to embracing, cautiously, any seeming overtures impelled by genuine contriteness”. This is said made “the following clarifications become pertinent”.

“The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, does not meddle in the affairs of the House of Assembly of Ondo State, as subtly suggested at the press conference. There has never been any time when the Governor “persuaded” the “distinguished members of Ondo State House of Assembly to embrace the political solution offered” by the All Progressives Congress (APC), “in the face of an impeachment move against” the Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa,” it reads in part.

READ ALSO:Ondo dep gov, Aiyedatiwa, apologizes to Akeredolu

Already, the move to impeach the Deputy Governor might be a long-drawn affair after 11 out of 26 State House of Assembly members distanced themselves from the process, on Thursday.

The 11 lawmakers accused the Speaker of the Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, of unilaterally writing the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a seven-man probe panel against Aiyedatiwa despite a subsisting court order.

The 11 lawmakers included the Minority Leader, Jide Oguntodu, the Assembly’s Spokesperson, Olatunde Oshati, Japheth Oluwatoyin, Fatai Atere, Gbegudu Ololade, Allen Oluwatoyin, Stephen Abitogun, Tope Komolafe, Felix Afe, Biola Oladapo, and Olawumi Fayemi.

“The National Leaders of the All Progressive Congress, on October 17, 2023, invited all the members of the Party, in the Ondo State House’ of Assembly, to the National Secretariat of the Party and pleaded for an amicable and political solution to the issue of the impeachment process initiated by the House against the Deputy Governor of Ondo State.

“Without hesitation, the request was acceded to, in the interest of the party and the peace of Ondo State, by the state chairman of the APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin and Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oladiji Olamide Adesanmi, consequently addressed the press immediately after the meeting. It will be untidy in our view to get back to Ondo State if we act otherwise,” the lawmakers noted in a statement.

In spite of this, it seems Akeredolu is not satisfied with the intervention of his party at the national level, or even the apology of his deputy, hence he has decided to stretch the impasses. Meanwhile, Akeredolu, struggling to regain his health is cocooned in his Ibadan base far from Akure and Ondo which he’s supposed to govern; his deputy, who should stand in his stead is battling for political survival while the State Assembly is divided over the impasse between the number one and two citizens.

Analyst are of the opinion that governance in that state is at a standstill for now, even as the politicians are already maneuvering for the next off cycle election to pick a new governor. And while the elephants continue their political battle, the people of the state are the worst for it.

Even as the various stakeholders continue to seek a peaceful resolution to this three-way political crisis in the state, many people are asking ‘when will it end?’. This is even as political watchers take a good position to see who triumphs and who among the gladiators loses at the end of it all.

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