By Julius Alabi, Akure
If not for the political ambition of the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji, the lingering crisis rocking the state would have been resolved before now.
The political unrest in Ondo State has to do with power struggle which has turned the state into a theatre of war in the last few months when the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu returned to the state from his medical leave abroad.
The crisis took another dimension last month when the cabal orchestrating the political crisis in the state made the Speaker realise that he could become Acting Governor without any stress, if the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa tendered an undated resignation letter. The resort to resignation was after the failed impeachment plot.
Despite the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the crisis a week ago, the Speaker has been accused of throwing a spanner in the works, sources told our reporter.
“He believes he could still walk his way to the governorship of Ondo by dropping Tinubu’s name,” the source said.
It was reliably gathered that Olamide Oladiji started eyeing to become Ondo Acting governor with the increased moves by the cabal to frustrate the Deputy Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa to resign.
Although our source revealed that the ambition of Olamide Oladiji which is still being discussed in whispers and hushed tones among the cabals in the state may be a tall order.
While some believe that his scheming is a mis-political calculation as the governor and his deputy are still maintaining their positions, others believe that any serious-minded politician wouldn’t waste his time in such a political journey.
Also, Some political watchers in the state say Olamide Oladiji has a lot of challenges to surmount for his ambition to materialise, but they added that he lacks the capability to resolve them.
Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the conflicting resolutions of the peace deal Tinubu brokered with members of the Ondo State House of Assembly following the political crisis in the state.
The Assembly led by the speaker, Olamide Oladiji had stated that part of the resolution at the peace deal was that an undated letter of resignation must be written, signed by the Deputy Governor, and submitted to the President.
But a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Ondo State, Otunba Dele Ologbese, described the outbursts and rantings of Olamide Oladiji as a threat to democracy in the country.
Ologbese said the action of the Speaker since the absence of Akeredolu from office and all his inglorious attempts at manipulating the peace deal brokered by Tinubu, is laughable, scandalous and least expected from a supposed leader of an independent arm of government.
He said that the Speaker and his ilks who shared the same ideals on the current political instability in Ondo State are enemies of the people who entrusted them with governance.
He averred that the actions of the Speaker and his cohorts should be outrightly condemned by all and sundry for towing dishonorable paths on such a serious and delicate matter.
His words; “Rt. Hon Olamide Oladiji had demonstrated in actions, words, dispositions and body languages he is a highly compromised elected public officer who had consistently shown grave disregard for rule of law and all it stands.
“It’s highly disheartening that all top government’s functionaries including the Speaker, Secretary to the State Government, Oladunni Odu, Ondo APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, Special Adviser on Union Matters, Dare Aragbaye and host of others who went on peace parley to Abuja haven’t only brought venomous shame on themselves and Ondo State, they have demonstrated naivety and strong disdain for Nigeria’s constitution and the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, after realising that he goofed, Speaker Olamide Oladiji quickly made a U-turn and denied the report that he called for the resignation of the Deputy Governor, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedatíwa.
But there is evidence to show that Olamide Oladiji appears confused about what he wants or being pushed to do.
For instance, a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Olatunji Oshati and another signed by the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Publicity, Sehinde Fanokun, distanced Olamide Oladiji from the resignation report.
In Oshati’s statement, it noted that there were reports on the purported “undated” resignation letter tendered by Aiyedatiwa as part of the reported resolutions to end the lingering crisis in the state describing the resignation report as “a figment of the imagination of the peddlers of such rumour.”
According to him, the resolution reached after the meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu never included calling for the resignation of the Deputy Governor by the President, rather it included thus: ‘That there would be no dissolution of the state executive council, that the party leadership and structure remains intact, that the House of Assembly leadership remains intact. That Hon.Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa continues to perform the functions of the office of the Deputy Governor.’
Oshanti’s statement also added that Oladiji urged everyone to sheath their swords and think of better ways to accelerate the much needed development of Ondo State in the interest of all and sundry, while warning politicians and other gladiators fanning the mischievous embers of war, saying the House of Assembly would not hesitate to deploy the full weight of the law in calling them to order.
In the other statement by the Media and Publicity Adviser to the Speaker titled ‘Ondo Assembly Speaker does not call for Deputy Governor’s resignation,’ Fanokun denied that his boss ever called for the resignation of the Deputy Governor, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Ayedatíwa.
The statement reads in part: “The publication was yet a confirmatíon of the fact that some people are bent on causing confusion and disharmony in the state for their selfish political interests.
“At no time did the Speaker or the entire body of lawmakers call for the resignation of the Deputy Governor.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Speaker wishes to state unequivocally that the said publication was a misrepresentation of the position of Honourable members who have at various times affirmed their commitment to the peaceful resolution of the political crisis in the state, spearheaded by the President and Commander-ín-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“For the records, the resolution after the meeting with the president is already in the public domain hence there is no course for Mr Speaker to twist the facts contained in the list.
“It has been said repeatédly that the House remains committed to the peace and wholesome development of the state.
“To this end, all détractors should concentrate on how best to advance the course of peace and development of the state rather than fanning the embers of war and singing discordant tunes.”
But the people of Ondo are urging the Speaker to show more concern to the development of the state.
They are worried that the state is rudderless because despite the fact that the Deputy Governor presided over the State Executive Council meeting last Thursday, he had no executive power to perform the required function of approving/signing the memos as about six (6) memos were brought to the Cabinet meeting but have to be stepped down for lack of Executive Powers to so approve.
For a lot of political observers, it is not the best of times for the people of Ondo State and what is certain is that unless a quick resolution is found, the state may be lagging behind in terms of development.
The question the people are also asking is why the Speaker appears to be more interested in his personal gain than the meaningful development of the state that would bring dividend of democracy to the doorsteps of the masses.
Time will tell as things are upfolding in the next few weeks.
