The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the state government to reveal the whereabouts of the governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
In a statement by the state PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kennedy Peretei on Saturday, the opposition party alleged that the governor is receiving treatment following an ailment. And “instead of telling the state, where exactly he is, or getting him to address Ondo State from wherever he is on planet earth”, the governor’s handlers chose to hide him.
The statement read: “When Akeredolu did not return to his duty post after his celebrated annual leave in March this year, tongues started wagging. At the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, Akeredolu was conspicuously absent.
“The deafening silence from government information machinery suddenly saturated social media space with old videos of Akeredolu dancing and singing praises. If Akeredolu’s handlers had done the needful, the state would have been spared the unnecessary anxiety.
“As mortals, any human being can fall sick. Whether in public office or private life. Rotimi Akeredolu is employed by the people of Ondo State and maintained with taxpayers’ money. So, it is criminal and a great disservice to keep mum over his health status and his whereabouts.
“The PDP Ondo State chapter, demands that those hiding the governor should tell the people where he is to save the state from speculation. Our party joins millions of Ondo State people to pray for Akeredolu’s quick recovery, but nobody should play politics with his ill health. Nobody should ground the state beyond its present state. Let Akeredolu resign if he is no longer fit to be governor”.
In a statement, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola-Olatunji, however declared that the governor was alive.
She said: “We have been inundated with calls and messages concerning the state of health of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. We had chosen to ignore this wicked fabrication until it appeared that certain persons seek to draw political mileage from the disinformation.
“Though the governor has been indisposed, he has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the government, when necessary. We enjoin the members of the public to ignore the rumour. ‘Aketi’ is very much alive”.
An 11-second video was released on Saturday where the governor was seen watching a football match and holding a bottle of water.
11 second video shows indisposed Ondo Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu not dead pic.twitter.com/85soanGEaD
— AIT (@AIT_Online) June 3, 2023
