‘Ondo State Is Already The Butt Of Every Joke’

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as long overdue the decision of ailing Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to hand over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

On Thursday last week, the state House of Assembly recognised Aiyedatiwa as acting governor after acknowledging a letter by Akeredolu handing over power to the deputy.

However, in an interview with PUNCH, the Publicity Secretary of the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, said Ondo State has stagnated in the last six months due to Akeredolu’s ill health.

Peretie questioned why Akeredolu had to wait for such a long time before returning to Germany for a follow-up medical treatment.

He also urged Aiyedatiwa to swing into action and move the state forward because it has become an object of ridicule.

He said, “Akeredolu’s medical vacation is long overdue, l don’t know why they waited this long to do this. The Ondo State is already the butt of every joke. Let’s pray that things will at least move in the state instead of the stagnation witnessed in the last six months.”

Aiyedatiwa Didn’t Suspend Akeredolu’s Chief Of Protocol, Freeze Local Govt’s Accounts
Meanwhile, the Ondo State government has denied media reports that the state’s acting governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa, has frozen the bank accounts of local government account councils in the state.

The state’s Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday in Akure, the state capital.

The commissioner said at no time did the acting governor or any functionary of the state freeze the local government accounts.

According to the Commissioner, necessary complementary personnel/civil servants have been deployed to the LCDA(s), and they have been advised to exercise due diligence and processes in their operations.