The ruling All Progressives Congress is working on an internal arrangement to resolve the lingering feud between Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, and his deputy, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
According to the party’s Director of Publicity, Malam Yusuf Bala Ibrahim said on Friday that the party leadership was not making noise about it because it was a sensitive issue.
Three weeks ago, Akeredolu returned from a three-month medical vacation during which time Aiyedatiwa was the acting governor. The governor had reportedly announced his preference for his deputy to succeed him when his tenure ends on 24th February 2025.
But allegations of disloyalty and gross misconduct by the deputy governor, and the impeachment charges brought against him by the state House of Assembly had made the headlines in recent time. Aiyedatiwa had gone to court asking that the impeachment process be halted.
On Friday, APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje appointed former Katsina State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, as chairman of a nine-man committee to intervene in the crisis. Ganduje said that the committee would interact with stakeholders in the state, based on mutual respect, with a view to finding a lasting solution.
Ibrahim however told Saturday PUNCH: “I don’t think the party will want an internal affair to go out of hand. You are aware that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has just returned from a sick leave and the party has an internal mechanism for settling dispute.
“I am sure that option has not been exhausted. It is not for the party to start debating this on the pages of newspapers or in the media”.
Ibrahim also dismissed insinuation that certain elements who were seeing the governor as a lame duck had hijacked his government.
“No, the governor is above that. You cannot accuse him of being a lame duck or someone who is not in control of his affairs. For someone who has just returned from a sick leave, I think it will be unfair to drag him into undue conflict at this time.
“He needs time to recuperate properly and he needs the support of the people. Moreover, Akeredolu is a senior lawyer. But I can assure you that it will not go out of hand”, he noted.
Source: Saturday PUNCH
