Ondo crisis: Tinubu wades into Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa’s rift

President Bola Tinubu has apparently apprehended the lingering rift between the Ondo governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, following hours of peace meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja on Friday night.

Both sides have now resolved to embrace amity and maintain status quo as Aiyedatiwa promised to carry along members of the state executive council and officials in tinning the affairs of the State.

Similarly, the Speaker of the Ondo state House of Assembly, Oladiji Olamide, has resolved to halt all impeachment moves against the deputy governor.

Ondo stakeholders reached these resolutions after over six hours of deliberations with President Tinubu in the seat of power.

The Deputy Governor spoke on his decision to maintain the status quo and unite all the warring factions, adding: “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one of you. I put behind all that has happened before now. I’ve let go and also let God, just as the President has advised us.

“And I want to say that no offence, no guile in my mind whatsoever. All that has happened is politics. Impeachment is part of politics. If you survive it, it is also politics. It has come. I’ve survived it and every other thing in his past.

“It is one big family and our father has intervened to bring all the children together to remain under the same family and with the position that I occupy, I will carry every one of you along in every decision that needs to be taken and everything that we do we will work together; the executive and the legislature will work together to ensure that governance is on the right track.”

He called on all members of the State Executive Council to cooperate with both the governor and himself to “bring the dividend of democracy” to the people of Ondo State, noting: “We should respect one another regarding the offices we occupy and our age differences. So, it’s going to be mutual respect.

“And I want to assure the party structure that we will work together because the party is supreme. We will always give you the due respect,” he added.

The Speaker of the House, Olamide, who read the details of the resolution, said; “Our resolution is that one, we shall embrace peace. Secondly, there would be no more dissolution of the cabinet and the Deputy Governor would maintain status quo as far as the House of Assembly leadership is concerned.

President Tinubu has now ordered the police to withdraw from the premises of the Ondo State House of Assembly in Akure to allow for the return of normal business.

Ondo state has been in a political crisis since Governor Akeredolu, traveled to Germany on medical vacation months ago.