Strong indications have emerged that Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, have snubbed the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, over the fate of the state’s deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who is being investigated for gross misconduct by the state assembly.
LEADERSHIP learnt that Akeredolu and the state assembly led by Oladiji rebuffed the intervention effort of Ganduje and national working committee (NWC) of the governing party meant to save Aiyedatiwa from impeachment.
Already, the state assembly had, at the plenary on Tuesday, renewed its resolve to press ahead with Aiyedatiwa’s impeachment, thus ignoring desperate moves by Ganduje to ward off Aiyedatiwa’s ouster from office.
Already, the House had on Tuesday mandated the state’s chief judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, to set up a seven-member panel of enquiry to investigate the allegations against the deputy governor.
Investigations by this newspaper revealed that Akeredolu had insisted that Ganduje’s intervention was coming rather too late as virtually all constitutional processes and legitimate measures to remove Aiyedatiwa from office had been concluded.
Akeredolu was reported to have resolved, with due consultation with the leadership of the state assembly, that Ganduje’s intervention was an exercise in futility.
Ganduje had, in the wake of the moves to impeach Aiyedatiwa, empanelled a team headed by former governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, to intercede on behalf of the state’s second citizen.
The nine-man committee was not only mandated to end Akeredolu/Aiyedatiwa feud but also to ensure the peaceful reconciliation of all parties involved.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the unfriendly and uncompromising disposition of Akeredolu informed the reluctance of Ganduje to deploy Masari’s panel to the state moments after its inauguration.
One of our reliable sources at APC’s headquarters in Abuja said Ganduje, having read the body language of Akeredolu correctly, advised Masari to stay action on the assignment.
The source further told this newspaper that the Masari panel is currently stranded as there were no clear-cut directives on the way forward.
The source further hinted that the panel might be disbanded following the unfolding drama in Ondo state.
Aiyedatiwa swam into troubled waters when he acted as governor of the state as his boss went on medical vacation in Germany.
LEADERSHIP learnt that while Akeredolu battled to live in Germany during the three-month medical vacation, Aiyedatiwa was being accused by Akeredolu’s family members and political associates of plotting to replace his ailing boss.
This newspaper further gathered that the plot to ease Aiyedatiwa out of office thickened as his boss returned to the country on September 7.
In a move clearly designed to obtain a pound of flesh from Aiyedatiwa by Akeredolu’s handlers, the deputy governor was slammed with 14 allegations bordering on gross misconduct and financial impropriety.
His various actions while his boss was away were interpreted to be an abuse of office, with intentions to bring down the Ondo state government, financial recklessness and publications in print by his media aides maligning the credibility of his boss.
The seven-day window for the deputy governor to respond to the allegations expired on Monday.
Aiyedatiwa, ostensibly relying on judicial processes and Ganduje’s intervention to preserve his seat, ignored the legislative chamber by not responding to the allegations.
Consequently, the House, at plenary, on Tuesday, resolved to press ahead with the action and asked Odusola to set up the panel to probe the deputy governor.
The House said the court could not stop the impeachment exercise as its action was protected by the Nigerian constitution against interference by courts.
The lawmakers took the decision in spite of an order of the Federal High Court Abuja restraining the House from impeaching Aiyedatiwa until the court determines a suit brought by the deputy governor to enforce his right to remain in office.
The assembly took a swipe at the court and threatened to drag the judge to the National Judicial Council (NJC) for appropriate actions over alleged cross misconduct.
The assembly also described another suit filed by Aiyedatiwa before the state’s High Court as an “abuse of court process.”
“The impeachment process will continue in line with the 1999 Constitution since the deputy governor failed to respond within seven days stipulated by the law,” Oladiji insisted on Tuesday.
Oladiji similarly issued a directive to Odusola to “immediately” set up a seven-person panel to investigate the allegations levelled against the deputy governor.
One of the sources in the government house, Akure, yesterday said that, “His Excellency Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu has snubbed the national chairman of our great party, APC by sealing the fate of his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. No intervention from any quarters can save the deputy governor, not even the intervention initiated by the national chairman of our party, Abdullahi Ganduje.
“The state’s governor. (Akeredolu) and Ondo State House of Assembly are adamant that Aiyedatiwa must go.”
Meanwhile, one of the sources told this newspaper that Akeredolu had set the criteria for the emergence of Aiyedatiwa’s successor.
The source quoted Akeredolu as having said that Aiyedatiwa successor must emerge from Ilaje axis of Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state.
Aiyedatiwa also hails from the oil-rich belt of the state.
LEADERSHIP’s findings also showed that Akeredolu insisted that Aiyedatiwa’s successor must not harbour aspiration to succeed him as governor.
“In line with the criteria set by Mr. Governor for the emergence of his new deputy that he or she must come from Ilaje area and he or she must not nurse governorship aspirations, a number of politicians from the area, including former chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Mr. Gbenga Edema, special adviser on education, Dr. (Mrs) Wunmi Ilawole, deputy speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Abayomi Akinruntan and a chieftain of APC in the area, Nimbe Tawose, among others, are jostling for recognition by the governor for appointment as his new deputy governor,” the source which craved anonymity added.
When contacted, Chief Press Secretary to Akeredolu, Mr. Richard Olabode said the issue in contention was not within the purview of the responsibility of the executive arm of government.
Olabode advised our correspondent “to approach the leadership of the state assembly for help.”
Oladiji, who was contacted by our correspondent for his comment, requested that the enquiries be forwarded in a text message to him.
The speaker, however, refused to respond to the message sent to him as requested.
He also ignored further calls aimed at prevailing on him to respond to the report.
