Late on Friday, President Bola Tinubu intervened in the months-long dispute between groups supporting Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
According to the president’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, all opposing parties were urged to put aside their differences and embrace peace and with all indication, Akeredolu is still the state’s governor and Aiyedatiwa is still its deputy governor.
This came after protracted talks at the State House in Abuja between the governor’s friends, Akeredolu’s allies, Ondo state and federal lawmakers, representatives of the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC), and other state stakeholders.
Declaring that he would uphold the status quo and bring all the factions together, Aiyedatiwa said, “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one of you.” I disregarded everything that had previously occurred. I’ve let go just as the President has advised us.
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“And I want to say that with no offence, no guile in my mind whatsoever. All that has happened is politics. Impeachment is part of politics. If you survive it, it is also politics. It has come. I’ve survived it, and every other thing is in the past.
“It is one big family and our father has intervened to bring all the children together to remain under the same family and with the position that I occupy, I will carry every one of you along in every decision that needs to be taken and in everything that we do, we will work together; the executive and the legislature will work together to ensure that governance is on the right track.”
Ade Adetimehin, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, expressed his happiness with the conclusion of Friday’s late-night discussions and reaffirmed that the party will continue to act as a watchdog to make sure the new commitments are kept.
