Ondo Assembly pledges support for Aiyedatiwa, confirms deputy gov

The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Olamide Oladiji, on Thursday pledged the support of the legislature for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa “for the people to enjoy more dividends of democracy.”

Oladiji made the declaration shortly after the Assembly confirmed Aiyedatiwa’s deputy governor-nominee, Mr Olayide Adelami, on the floor of the House.

Aiyedatiwa had on Wednesday forwarded Adelami’s name to the Assembly for screening and confirmation as deputy governor.

At the plenary session presided over by the Speaker, the nominee was confirmed after the consideration of a report by the House Selection Committee.

During the plenary, the Clerk of the House, Mr Jaiyeola Benjamin, read the letter sent to the House by Aiyedatiwa for the consideration of the nominee.

After the submission of the report, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Abayomi Akinruntan, recommended the confirmation of the appointment of the nominee, affirming that Adelami had been properly screened.

The Majority Leader of the House, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, moved the motion for the report to be considered and the nominee to be confirmed. The motion was seconded by Mr Felix Afe representing Akoko North West 2 Constituency.

Congratulating the new deputy governor-designate  on the confirmation, the Speaker, Oladiji,  pledged that “the House would continue to support the executive for the people to enjoy more dividends of democracy.”

The Speaker’s declaration of support for Aiyedatiwa indicates an end to the political battle between Aiyedatiwa and the Assembly, which had plotted to remove him from office for alleged gross misconduct at the height of the sickness of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Aiyedatiwa, who was Akeredolu’s deputy governor, stepped in as governor on December 17, 2023, following the death of Akeredolu in Germany.

In his response, Adelami appreciated Aiyedatiwa for nominating him, promising not to betray the confidence reposed in him.

Adelami, who was a retired Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in the 2020 governorship election, was appointed by the Governor Aiyedatiwa on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, shortly before the announcement of the new deputy, the governor announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council, sacking commissioners and aides of the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Some of the aides, who spoke with our correspondent, have expressed shock over the dissolution, saying the development was not expected at the time it came .

A commissioner, who spoke on ccondition of anonymity,  said the governor did not give any sign that the dissolution of the cabinet would happen so soon.

He said, “The governor didn’t do well; we were with him only a few hours before the announcement and nobody had the premonition that he would throw the ‘bomb’. Though we knew it would happen eventually but we were told it would happen after the burial of Akeredolu. But no problem, life goes on,” the ex-commissioner said.

Former Special Adviser on Education, Dr Olawunmi Ilawole , said the development was shocking but she expressed satisfaction on the service she had been able to render to the state.

She said, “It wasn’t something that was expected; I was a bit shocking then. What has happened has happened, life goes on and we must move ahead. That’s the way I see it. The lessons learnt in that position, I wasn’t in that position for just two years, I was in that position since 2017 to 2021 as well; although my rules changed a little bit but pretty much to say cabinet members having discussions in the cabinet, contributing to the running of the government, teamwork and all of that.”

However, the Special Adviser on Health Matters, Prof Francis Faduyile, expressed satisfaction that he had been able to serve the state in the best he could.

“It is a feeling of satisfaction that we have been able to serve the state and the experience cannot be quantified among hundreds of or thousands of people in this state that has been worthy to be members of the State Executive Council. I have to appreciate the late Governor Arakurin Rotimi Akeredolu  for giving me the opportunity and platform, and I also have to appreciate the current Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the short period that we served together, we have been able to touch on policies to get things better than the rest. I’m happy that I was called and I discharged as much as I could, a lot of people spoke well of the little we did.”