I was never disloyal to Akeredolu – Ondo deputy governor

The Ondo State deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, says he never compromised his loyalty to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu throughout the period the governor was away on medical leave in Germany.

Mr Aiyedatiwa stated this on Tuesday while reacting to allegations as repeated against him by some respondents in a report by PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.

Mr Akeredolu resumed duties on Friday after a three months long medical treatment in Germany during which period, Mr Aiyedatiwa was the state’s acting governor.

The rumour that the deputy governor was ambitious gained prominence while uncertainty surrounded the governor’s health condition.

In his reaction to the allegation of disloyalty, Mr Aiyedatiwa, through a statement signed by his media aide, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, described it as lies.

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In the statement, which was made available to journalists in Akure on Tuesday, Mr Odusola-Stevenson said the allegation was fabricated to dent the reputation of the deputy governor. X

“These lies would have been ignored but we owe it a duty to prevent the public from being deceived into believing the same falsehoods being repeated and recycled in different forms by those whose sole intention is to soil the image of the man who they see as a threat to their political interests,” he said.

“We need to remind the public that this is a continuation of the blackmail started by these same characters some months ago, with false stories planted in some media outlets against the Deputy Governor.

“However, since those lies did not yield the result they envisaged, the blackmailers have returned with fake stories about disloyalty, aimed at causing disaffection between him and the Governor.”

Mr Odusola-Stevenson said those sponsoring the rumours feel threatened by the profile of Mr Aiyedatiwa, his relationship with his boss and the goodwill he enjoys with the people.

“Many stakeholders have commended the Deputy Governor for the way he handled State affairs while he was Acting Governor, despite all his detractors did to provoke him into taking drastic actions, avoided their booby traps and they tripped on their own banana peels.

“Against their expectations, the Deputy Governor was in constant touch with his principal on official State matters, so there was no gap between them.

“How can the man who was constantly in touch with his boss and had prepared for his arrival to attend some other critical state matters, including the signing of the LCDA Law after passage by the State Assembly be surprised by that same arrival?

“Those behind the falsehoods being peddled around had planned that these concocted lies about disloyalty and impeachment would irritate Mr. Governor and his family so as to land a devastating blow on the Deputy Governor ahead of the coming governorship election in the State.

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“Now that Mr. Governor is back and has started working, the Deputy Governor remains calm and committed to the duties of his office and unruffled by the lies of desperate politicians and their agents. The Deputy Governor remains loyal to his Principal and no amount of fabricated lies will change that.”

Mr Akeredolu fell out with his former deputy, Agboola Ajayi, in his first term shortly before the general elections in 2020.

The conflict was over Mr Ajayi’s ambition to run for the governor when his principal was gearing up for reelection to a second term.

This time, Mr Akeredolu is no longer eligible to run for the office but government sources said some of his officials want to succeed him.

The Secretary to the State Government, Oladunni Odu, has already declared her intentions to run for governor and become the first woman to hold the office in the state.