Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, will tomorrow Wednesday begin his medical leave to enable him follow-up his medical treatment.
This was disclosed in a statement issued today by his spokesman, Richard Olatunde,
Olatunde said during Akeredolu’s absence, the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, will assume the responsibilities of the governor in acting capacity.
Olatunde said the governor will “prioritise his health and ensure a full recovery before resuming his official duties”.
“A formal letter regarding the medical leave and a notice formally transferring power in line with the Nigerian Constitution will be transmitted to the House of Assembly.
“As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a widely respected Nigerian, Governor Akeredolu has consistently delegated power to his deputy during his annual vacations. This practice was observed on April 1, 2021, April 1, 2022, April 3, 2023, and July 10, 2023, when he embarked on previous vacations,” the statement partly reads
Akeredolu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and also former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), won his re-election as the state governor in October 2020 and was sworn in for a second term in office in February 2021.
The governor has not had it so smooth in his second term since January 2023, as he was flown abroad for treatment over a medical condition in June.
He , however returned to Nigeria in September after months abroad for medical treatment but instead of going to Akure, he stayed put in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Akeredolu has been under pressure from opposition parties, factions of the APC and activists to resign or hand over power to his deputy in line with the 1999 constitutional provisions.
Though President Bola Tinubu intervened at a point opposition was not satisfied with the level of his intervention, as they claimed that the governor cannot continue to govern the state from Ibadan, a position which is supported by the loyalists of the Deputy Governor.
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