Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the acting governor of Ondo, has said he’s in constant communication with his principal, Rotimi Akeredolu, despite being absent from the state and attending to his fragile health abroad.  

“I (Lucky Aiyedatiwa) have been in touch with him, the latest being on Sunday (July 9, 2023) when he expressed appreciation to me and other state executive council members for holding the fort while he is away,” Mr Aiyedatiwa said on Tuesday, in an apparent move to douse tension that has greeted the absence and ill health of Mr Akeredolu for a month. 

The absence of Mr Akeredolu from his official duty has been causing uproar among the political circles, especially as the members of his cabinet continue to heighten tension with their political bickerings. 

The dust raised by the bickering was further exposed on Tuesday when the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, claimed that Mr Akeredolu was in “a state of extreme incapacity” and hospitalised overseas.

Mr Adamu’s remark immediately forced the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo out of its shell to demand the true health status of the governor, even as the party noted that the people deserved to know. 

But Mr Aiyedatiwa, in a statement obtained by Peoples Gazette, said aside from his regular communication with the governor, there had been no “gap” in the governance of the state, stressing that the government was on course. 

“We, therefore, assure the people of Ondo State that there is no gap in governance. The government of Ondo State is on course, construction works are going on across the state, and other official activities are also running well in line with standard practices.

“The security and welfare of the people being the primary constitutional mandate of government is enjoying top priority,” the acting governor said. 

He noted that the tactics of the faceless writers intended to fan embers of discord and tarnish the hard-earned reputations of individuals in government circles.

Mr Aiyedatiwa sought that the people remain in their attitude of prayers and solidarity for the quick recovery of the governor.