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Dr Doyin Odebowale, a former Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategies to late Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, has disclosed what led to the feud between the former governor and his then deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Odebowale resigned his appointment, few hours after Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as the substantive governor of the state last Wednesday.
In a viral video, the former aide said the relationship between Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa was smooth until the late governor became ill.
He disclosed that both men fell apart after it was discovered that a female aide in the cabinet had been sharing information about the ill health of the governor with Aiyedatiwa.
Odebowale alleged that the woman, whose name he did not mention, was already scheming to become deputy governor if Aiyedatiwa succeeded Akeredolu after his death.
“Where is the woman now? She is with Lucky. What infuriated the First lady at that time that she decided to misbehave was the fact that while this woman was pretending to be with Aketi, she was getting information about the state of health of Aketi and was ingratiating herself towards Lucky.
“She was seeing Lucky. She will not talk to Lucky but they were seeing in Abuja.
She was scheming to be deputy governor in case Aketi dies. That was the genesis of the mistrust between Aketi and Lucky. Aketi never listened to anybody who spoke against Lucky.
“He will shut you down. Aketi will sit from morning till night signing useless files from these people who are now talking about forgery,” he said.
Describing the former governor as a “weakling” who mismanaged his health when he needed assistance at the beginning, the former aide accused Akeredolu’s wife, Betty, of contributing to Akeredolu’s health challenge.
Odebowale noted that while the governor was on sickbed, he was not allowed to take care of his health, stressing that his wife was busy fighting one of the former governor’s purported mistresses.
“Aketi mismanaged his health. The perfidy of many of his aides was unrivalled. They won’t allow him rest, they won’t allow him sleep.
“Aketi was a weakling, he would have called his wife (Betty) to order. I would have sent her away. Her outburst was unAfrican. What point was she proving? I know Aketi was not sleeping with anybody. Even from Ibadan, I knew that. But these people were peddling influence.
“He took ill and the next thing is when will he die? People started holding meetings against the man who never offended them. I will talk about Babajide (the governor’s son) once Aketi is buried.
“Aketi rejected many Chieftaincy titles. He stuck to Arakunrin. Those that made allegations of forgery should bring out the documents and show who collected the money.
“If Babajide (governor’s son) and his mother were found to have stolen money, send them to jail,” he said.
The former aide added that many cabinet members who were brought into the government have suddenly changed, especially when the governor was down with ill-health before he died.
“All of you members of the cabinet who were unknown political entities until Mrs. Akeredolu and her son nominated you. It was Babajide and his mother who submitted the name of the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Rasaq Obe, who is now going about to tell the world he paid to be made a commissioner,” Odebowale said.
He challenged Obe to tell the world how much he paid to the former first lady and her son for his name to be submitted.
“Come out and tell the world how you became more important than those in Ifedore, who have been with Aketi since 2012. You are now telling the world because you are quarrelling with Babajide over diesel supply. I have more to say after Aketi has been buried,” Odebowale added.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Rasaq Obe, has debunked Odebowale’s claims, adding that he did not pay money to be nominated as commissioner under Akeredolu.
Obe, in an interview with Vanguard, also denied that he had quarrel with Babjide over diesel supply.
The commissioner said he led the effort for Akeredolu to emerge victorious in Ilara Mokin ward in Ifedore Local Government Area in the 2020 governorship election.
“I supported Akeredolu and gave him all assistance in 2020. I followed him throughout the campaigns, so it is not true to say I was a nobody politically. There was no need to pay the first lady or her son for me to be made commissioner.
“It is unfortunate that Odebowale is making this vituperations days after the passing of Akeredolu. He was part of the persons that benefitted from the illness of Akeredolu.
“There was nothing to quarrel about between Babajide and I. I never supplied diesel to any part of the state,” he said.
On forgery of Akeredolu’s signature, Obe said petitions have been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that the concerned persons would soon be invited.
He stated that the country would be seen as a banana republic if nobody was prosecuted and punished for forging late Akeredolu’s signature.
“Let us bury Akeredolu. The gate of justice will be opened. The political solution and the advice to unify the party as advised by Tinubu do not include forgery. Forgery of a governor’s signature and authorisation of millions of naira are too criminal to be ignored.
“The individual doing all the forgery must be produced. Some of us were harassed. They hated me because I punctuated their activities. It is when the new governor open the books, you will know the extent of damage,” he added.