The Ondo Liberation Initiative (OLI) has called upon President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in the governance of the state by facilitating Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s treatment abroad.

Johnson Alabi, the group’s spokesperson, made this demand on Tuesday during a press conference held in Akure, the state capital.

Mr Alabi lamented that Mr Akeredolu, who is currently battling health challenges, had allegedly been caged by his family members and aides, thereby preventing him from accessing quality health.

“We want to express our concerns about the state of the health of our dear Governor (Akeredolu) who we perceive has been caged by either his immediate family or his aides who are his handlers and prevented him from accessing quality health care abroad because of reasons best known to them.

“We want to use this medium to call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H. E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to intervene in rescuing Aketi and take him abroad for good medical care,” Mr Alabi said.

He noted that the group had observed that since the onset of Mr Akeredolu’s illness, he had been at the mercy of his handlers.

According to him, Mr Akeredolu is no longer a private individual and needs to be rescued and provided with better medical care abroad.

“We all know that when anyone is sick as our Governor is now, he/she remains at the mercy of whoever is managing his/her health. As it is now, we perceive that our Governor is very ill and at the mercy of these handlers.

“Nobody has access to him! Nobody has seen him in any public place since his claimed resumption of office. This is why our concept of Jare e gba becomes necessary in Ondo. Ondo government needs to be rescued; the people need to be rescued by embracing Government policies that can eradicate poverty.”

Mr Alabi added that, as stakeholders in the state, the group felt that Akeredolu should not be made to suffer much, having done much for the state.

He said, “We do not wish him dead. We wish that he can continue to sustain his policies which have been remarkable in not only Ondo State but the entire South West region of Nigeria. E.g., the Amotekun concept.

“Consequently, we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to shout out loud, intervene and rescue him from this perceived captivity. Aketi shouldn’t be allowed to die the way he’s being caged.”

Mr Alabi also appreciated the national chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, for setting up a reconciliation committee to restore peace in the state over the impeachment move against Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the deputy governor, by the state house of assembly.

He, however, noted that the people of the state cannot afford to live in disharmony.

“Much as we appreciate them, we appeal to them not to relent in their efforts to achieve total peace between all the arms of the government of Ondo State.

“We appeal that they should rescue Aketi and take him abroad for proper medical care. We do not want him dead, but to live to sustain his hard-earned legacies in the state.”