Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has distanced himself from some leadership changes witnessed in the state’s House of Assembly. 

Recall that the Deputy Speaker of the state assembly, Abayomi Akinruntan, on Tuesday resigned from his position while Emmanuel Ogunmolasuyi, the Majority Leader of the House, also stepped down from the position. 

Mr Akinruntan, son of the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom in the Ilaje local government area of the state, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, was immediately replaced by Ololade Gbegudu from Okitipupa Constituency II, a two-term state lawmaker in the assembly, who served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Security Matters and Community Development before his emergence. 

The Ilaje-born lawmaker in his resignation letter cited the need to align with the conventional arrangement of elective positions in the state. 

“My resignation is borne out of the need to align with the conventional arrangement in power sharing of elective positions in the state. I want to appreciate all members and staff for their contributions and support,” he noted in the resignation letter read out by the Assembly Clerk, Benjamin Jayeiola, during plenary. 

There were speculations among the people of the state, especially political observers, that Mr Aiyedatiwa orchestrated the changes in the leadership following the alleged roles they played during his botched impeachment.  

However, the assembly Speaker, Olamide Oladiji. said that the “change of the positions of the principal officers was to balance the unwritten elective political arrangements in the state.”

However, opposition politicians had said the sudden resignation of the deputy speaker might be linked to an alleged cold war between Oba Olugbo, who is also the father of Messers Akinruntan, and Aiyedatiwa. 

But speaking on Wednesday, Mr Aiyedatiwa dismissed the insinuation that he masterminded the changes in the principal officers of the assembly.

Speaking at the Government House Ground in Akure, where he distributed Hilux vehicles for security agencies in the state, as part of activities marking his first 100 days in office, the governor said that he had with it.  

He said,” It is not my business. I’m on my lane. As long as the House is peaceful, I have no problem, and the business is going on fine.’’ 

He, however, congratulated the newly emerged majority leader, Olatunji Oshati, representing Ose Constituency on his new position.