The deputy governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has apologised to his principal, Rotimi Akeredolu, over the negative information and perceived discord between them while the latter was on medical vacation.

Addressing newsmen in his office in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Thusday, October 26, Aiyedatiwa said he was saddened by the embarrassment and discomfort the governor had faced due to barrage of negative news in the state as a result of his absence in the last few months.

The Ondo State House of Assembly had moved to impeach the deputy governor, leading to various interest groups taking sides for and against the move.

The deputy governor, who pledged his loyalty to Akeredolu and commitment to the development of Ondo State, said his action was to calm the furore in order to restore peace and tranquility to the state.

Aiyedatiwa said there had never been any issue between him and Akeredolu, adding that at no time did he undermine the authority of the governor.

He stated that some political actors only took advantage of Akeredolu’s absence to create a nonexistent crisis for their selfish interests.

The deputy governor said: “I am profoundly grateful to Mr governor for his intervention and role in persuading the distinguished members of the Ondo State House of Assembly to embrace the political solution offered by our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the face of an impeachment move against me.

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“Our beloved state has witnessed a series of events triggered by the health challenges faced by Mr Governor, which gave rise to misunderstandings, misconceptions, assumptions, and insinuations, and exploited by political contenders preparing for the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial election.

“The recent impeachment attempt by the House of Assembly and the ensuing reactions have further created division and chaos, with my loyalty to Mr Governor being questioned.

“It is with reference to the above that I hereby tender my unreserved apologies to Mr governor and the good people of Ondo state, and I assure that, together, we will both complete this journey with honour, divine guidance and in good health by the grace of God.”

Aiyedatiwa denied all the allegations being peddled against him by those he described as “desperate to get rid of him from government ahead of the next election”.

He pledged to continue to maintain decorum in the face of the “false and baseless” accusations and called on all political actors to allow peace to reign in the state for the people to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

The deputy governor added: “We have continued to read all sorts of lies against my person in the media. None of it is true. There has never been any issue between Mr Governor and myself and I have never undermined Mr Governor.

“This is a fabricated crisis just for the purpose of election.

“I remain fully committed to the principles of good governance that Mr Governor has established, and I pledge my unwavering loyalty to him and I will continue to submit myself under his able, courageous and selfless leadership.”

Aiyedatiwa, therefore, thanked the national leadership of the APC for its intervention to stop the impeachment move against him, pledging his commitment to the reconciliation efforts aimed at restoring peace in Ondo State.

He said: “I have a lot of respect for the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly and members of the State Executive Council and I do not hold any grudge.

“I want to appeal to all the political actors in the state to allow peace so we can all concentrate on the development of our dear state.”

The Star