AMID prevailing leadership turbulence in Ondo State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, has announced his plan to embark on a fresh medical vacation in Germany on Wednesday, December 13.
Akeredolu in a statement by his chief press secretary, Richard Olatunde, on Tuesday, December 12, said he would return to the Europe as a follow-up to his medical treatment.
He also disclosed that he had written a letter to the state House of Assembly in this egard and that the deputy governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa would assume office as the acting governor.
The latest development is coming barely four months after the governor returned to the country and continued to govern the state from his private residence in Ibadan, Oyo state.
Both Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa have been involved in a months-long feud over the governor’s insistence on retaining power despite being unable to function optimally due to ill health.
On Friday, November 24, The ICIR reported that Akeredolu had been out of Ondo state for 171 days, nearly six months since he was flown out of Nigeria to receive care for an undisclosed ailment.
Although he returned to Nigeria in September, the governor remained in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, where he leads his state from.
Meanwhile, since the governor arrived in Ibadan, he has made botched moves to impeach his deputy, which has continued to generate public reactions, including the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
The ICIR reported that during the meeting with Tinubu, Aiyedatiwa accepted to remain in his position as deputy governor, describing the crisis between him and his principal as part of politics.
Announcing Akeredolu’s fresh medical leave in a statement, the chief of staff said the Governor would prioritise his health and ensure a full recovery before resuming his official duties.
“A formal letter regarding the medical leave and a notice formally transferring power in line with the Nigerian Constitution will be transmitted to the House of Assembly.
“In the absence of Governor Akeredolu, the Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, will assume the responsibilities of the Governor in an acting capacity.
“Governor Akeredolu expresses his gratitude for the unwavering support and affection of the people of Ondo State. He assures them that his administration remained committed to the path of progress and prosperity for the people.”
The statement also noted that Akeredolu, being a Senior Advocate, had consistently delegated power to his deputy during his annual vacations, adding that the “practice was observed on April 1, 2021, April 1, 2022, April 3, 2023, and July 10, 2023, when he embarked on previous vacations.”
However, this latest request for medical leave by Akeredolu has generated controversies among Nigerians on social media, with some calling the Governor to resign and hand over power to his deputy.
In 2009, when the late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua battled with a prolonged illness that later killed him, Yar’Adua refused to hand over power to his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, after he was flown out of Nigeria.
Akeredolu, then president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), urged Yar’Adua to hand over power to his deputy, arguing it was a constitutional requirement.
“It is not your party or your wife that will decide whether you are capable of handling state matters; it is only your doctors that can decide that. The bar is not asking the President not to come back and take his seat, but the right thing must be done,” Akeredolu had said.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M