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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The acting governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said the drama that ensued in the state over the health of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu was “avoidable.”
Aiyedatiwa stated this in a state broadcast on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Ondo State House of Assembly declared Aiyedatiwa as the acting governor of the state.
The assembly took the decision after it received a medical leave notification letter from Akeredolu.
Over the past few weeks, there has been pressure on Akeredolu to resign or hand over power to his deputy amid his continued absence from the state.
The governor has been absent from Ondo State since June on health grounds.
Speaking during the broadcast, Aiyedatiwa said the state must return quickly to the path of development after the “avoidable distractions” caused by the governor’s health challenges.
The acting governor urged the people of the state not to relent in their prayers for the ailing Akeredolu.
“At this juncture, permit me to say that only God Almighty has explanations for what happened in the last few months.
“When nature sets in to hinder human performance, it is always a painful thing.
“We must acknowledge that the key to the wellbeing of a man is in the hands of God.
“It is not for us as humans to question God but to pray for His mercies upon our lives.
“It is in this regard that we admit with all sense of responsibility that the intrigues that ensued due to Mr Governor’s health challenges were indeed avoidable distractions.
“We ought to have done better so as to keep giving Ondo State the seamless and solid governance which Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, had established in the state in the last six-and-a-half years,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa commended President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders “for providing succour to Ondo State at our critical time of cloud and need”.