NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER! Why Ondo First Lady, Son Prevented Akeredolu From Resigning As Governor

By Lanre Olaleye 

Left for the ailing Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, the Bible quotes 'Vanity Upon Vanity, All Is  Vanity' surely drives home the futility of man's struggles in life. For this, the embattled governor may have given up hope of retaining his position as Ondo State Governor.

But for his wife, Betty and son, Babajide, the governor has become a subject of ridicule by the opposition and ordinary Nigerians who have been criticizing him for creating a leadership crisis in the state.

The Snoop exclusively gathered that following his prolonged medical leave in Germany, Akeredolu's prognosis was declared critical and was advised to return home to continue treatment for leaukemia, a blood cancer caused by a rise in the number of white blood cells in the body.

Rather than returning to Ondo, he has been staying in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where he is recieving treatment. His absence from Government House in Akure has therefore given credence to claim of his incapacitation to discharge his duty as governor.

Akeredolu has been under intense pressure from opposition parties to resign or hand over power to his deputy in line with the 1999 constitution but he has failed to resign.

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Family sources revealed that the ailing governor is completely overwhelmed by the rigour and pain of the chemotherapy treatment which knocks him out for up to 10 hours. 

“Each time the governor receives a shot of his chemical therapy, he is knocked out for at least 10 hours.

“As a result, the governor is barely lucid throughout the day and night,” the source added.

Perhaps, sensing the end may be nearer than expected, the ailing governor has reportedly requested to be taken to Owo, his home town, where he hopes to continue his treatment. But sources said the request has been rebuffed by the wife and son, Babajide. They were reportedly holing up the governor in Ibadan in order to shield his health status away from the people so as to continue to hold on to power.

"Both the wife and son ignored the governor's directive because they feared his incapacity to govern the state would be known to the public and they do not want this to happen. They want the governor to continue to hold on to power till the end of his tenure.

"The governor wanted to resign in order to face his treatment fully but he is being prevented by his wife and son. You can liken what is happening in Ondo State now to what happened during Yar' Adua presidency when some people prevented the president from resigning until the president passed away. 

"They are preventing Akeredolu from resigning because of their own selfish interest. They are not considering the interest of the state; they want to hold on to power by all means. This is rather unfortunate," says our source.

Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), won his re-election as the state governor in October 2020 and was sworn in for a second term in office in February 2021.

It would be recalled that President Tinubu on November 24 met with over 50 persons including Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; his and aides of Governor Akeredolu, state commissioners, party chieftains and some elders of the state to resolve the leadership crisis in Ondo State.

 After the exhaustive meeting held at the Presidential Villa,

it was resolved that the status-quo should be maintained while the state House of Assembly should abort the impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor.

However, two weeks after the presidential intervention, peace is yet to return to the state prompting the president to call for a fresh meeting with the Deputy Governor and the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Olamide Oladiji at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. This is coming in the wake of the impending town hall meeting and mass protest being called by human rights activist and #RevolutionNow convener, Omoyele Sowore, scheduled for Saturday in Akure to call on the ailing Governor Akeredolu to either return to office or resign.

Sources revealed that at the meeting, Tinubu would ask that the Deputy Governor should be allowed to act as Governor, to resolve the leadership crisis in the state.

However, it was learnt that the arrangement may not prevent a constitutional crisis as it would not require the ailing Governor Akeredolu to resign, even though he is ill and has been unable to perform the responsibilities required of his office for many months.

But there are strong indications to suggest Tinubu's arrangement may not enjoy a smooth sail with the clamour of Sowore and the civil societies for Akeredolu to throw-in the towel reverberating across the political landmark of the state. 

Poignantly, the Nigerians constitution does not recognize political solution in case of a governor's incapacitation to govern and as such the civil society would demand Akeredolu's resignation and the swearing-in of the Deputy Governor as the substantive Governor of the state as required by the constitution.

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