Members of the Ondo State Executive Council, on Thursday, passed a vote of confidence in the state governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
However, two members of the cabinet allegedly failed to sign the statement to support the governor, who is still in Ibadan, Oyo State, recuperating after returning from a medical vacation in Germany.
In the statement signed by 33 out of the 35 members, Akeredolu’s aides declared their unflinching trust in the governor.
It was gathered that the failure of the two commissioners—the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Razak Obe, and the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, and Cooperative Services, Mr Akin Sowore—to sign the statement was an indication that the cabinet of Governor Akeredolu is divided.
In their separate reactions, the two ‘dissenting’ commissioners said they were not in the state when other cabinet members issued and signed the statement.
Obe said, “I’m in Lagos as I speak to you. I left Akure yesterday to attend a conference, and I communicated that to the Chief of Staff before I left. Later, they asked for my signature to be appended to a document; they called it a vote of confidence, and I said that somebody could share a copy with me so that I would know before my signature went on.
“The person who reached out to me to send the electronic signature said he didn’t have it, so someone is asking me to drop my signature on a document that I don’t have any knowledge about at all, so I did not send the signature. No executive meeting was held—nothing like that. So I was careful when dropping my signature on a document that I didn’t know about. The document I’m seeing now that they put out—if I saw that, I would have happily appended my signature.”
Sowore, on his own part, stated that he did not believe in signing any document to pass a vote of confidence in the governor.
“The point is that I’m not around in the state; the vote passed by the members of the cabinet in the state in a situation like this does not count because, in the first place, we are the appointees of Mr Governor; we can’t even say that we don’t have confidence in him; anybody that doesn’t have confidence in government has to resign. So by pushing the vote of confidence, as far as I’m concerned, it does not make sense; we don’t have the power to remove the governor as a member of the cabinet.
“So passing a vote of confidence on the Governor in the first place does not add anything to Mr Governor. So it is the work of those desperate politicians in the state to create a crisis when there is no crisis. I don’t have any issues with the governor, and he is our governor in the state. In fact, in the first place, they don’t allow the man to rest. There was no excos meeting; the governor is far away in Ibadan, and the deputy is embattled far away in Abuja, so nobody was to chair the executive meeting in the state.
“Even if I’m around, I will not have signed because I’m supposed to tell them what they are supposed to do, those who are not lawyers. No excos meeting had been held except during the period when the deputy governor was acting. But since the governor had resumed duty on September 7, 2023, no excos meeting had been held,” he declared.
Newsmen reports that Akeredolu is still recuperating in his private residence in Ibadan since he came back to the country after a medical vacation.
This has been generating reactions in some quarters, particularly from the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, which has been calling for the resignation of the governor.
Meanwhile, the statement the other 33 signed was titled, ‘We stand by our courageous principal and mentor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON. Governor, Ondo State.’
Specifically, the statement made available to our correspondent was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Oladunni Odu, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Olugbenga Ale, and commissioners, the Head of Service, Mr Kayode Ogundele, and special advisers.
The statement read in part, “In fulfilment of our dedicated responsibilities to advance the programmes and policies of the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration, encapsulated in the REDEEMED agenda, aimed at enhancing the lives of the people and fostering development across the state, we proudly commend the people’s governor for the unprecedented progress under his leadership.
“As members of the State Executive Council, we have imbibed the principles of good governance, integrity, and commitment from the very best—Governor Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON. The courage and exemplary leadership consistently displayed by Mr Governor continue to motivate and inspire us to fulfil our duties.
“Without hesitation, Mr. Governor is a blessing to the good people of Ondo State. His leadership has been rewarding and inspirational. Governor Akeredolu is not only a worthy leader but also a national asset who passionately pursues the welfare of the country. This patriotic leadership is characterised by unwavering courage in leading the people of the Sunshine State towards prosperity and progress.
“The cabinet members affirmed that the Akeredolu administration had performed well in many sectors, which include security, healthcare delivery, agriculture, roads, and infrastructure, among others. They also declared that the Akeredolu administration had positively impacted the lives of the people of the Sunshine State.
“Having worked closely with the governor, we commend his dedication to public service and achievements in infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and various sectors that have positively impacted the lives of Ondo State people. We take pride in sharing in these achievements and successes, acknowledging Mr. Governor’s visionary governance, commitment to development, and tireless efforts in improving the well-being of Ondo State citizens.
“Therefore, we unanimously declare our unflinching trust in Mr. Governor and endorse his impactful leadership. As a united front, we remain steadfast in our support for Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, and pledge to continue working collaboratively towards the advancement and prosperity of the state. We express our gratitude to Mr Governor for his selfless service and courageous leadership,” the statement concluded.
