Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as Ondo State Governor recently after the passing away of his principal, Akeredolu
By Kehinde Okeowo
Kinsmen of the late ex-governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu have urged his successor, Gov Lucky Aiyedatiwa to pick his deputy from Owo Local Government Area, where the former number one citizen of the state hails from.
The group, under the aegis of a socio-cultural group, the Imade Development Association (IDA), said with the move, the ex-deputy governor will honour the memory of his late boss.
The demand was made during a press briefing addressed by IDA Chairman , Segun Ogunbadeniyi, the Secretary, Femi Fadaisi, and the Publicity Secretary, Julius Adesola.
Ogunbadeniyi, who read the communiqué on behalf of the group, said picking a deputy from Owo will serve as compensation for the untimely death of their prominent son, Akeredolu, who died a few days ago in Germany after a long battle with prostate cancer.
He expressed sadness over the demise of the former governor, stating that if the request is neglected, the polarisation of the state along ethnic and political lines might continue to escalate.
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He also stressed that with the passing of Akeredolu, who hails from Owo, it is crucial to safeguard the interests and aspirations of the town.
He said: “In our opinion, the joint ticket that expires in February 2025 is Owo/Ilaje. We do not understand any calculations outside of it.
“Whoever picks the ticket of the APC or PDP next year can therefore decide which zone to produce the Deputy Governor.
“Any attempt to erase Owo from the calculation until February 2025 by Aiyedatiwa, in our opinion, is unfair, not equitable, and can cause division in body politics.”
The group maintained that there are prominent Owo indigenes that are capable of being deputy governors.
The names reeled out that should be considered for the position include Hon. Niran-Sule Akinsuyi, who the group said was in the trenches with Akeredolu during the 2016 elections; the Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly; Hon. Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi; Mr. Zach Adetula; and Chief Jamiu Ekungba.
“Picking from this list will be a fair deal for all stakeholders. The current situation is a joint ticket between Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa, which they assiduously worked for,” Ogunbadeniyi added
Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as Ondo State Government recently after the passing away of his principal, Akeredolu.
