6th June 2023
His Excellency
Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN
The Executive Governor of Ondo State
Governor’s Office
Alagbaka, Akure
Dear Governor Arakunri Rotimi Akeredolu,
OPEN LETTER AND APPEAL TO REASON AND CONSTITUTIONALISM – RE: ALLEGED PLANS TO IMPEACH HON. LUCKY ORIMISAN AYEDATIWA, THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE
On behalf of the entire leadership and members of the Ilaje Development Summit Group (IDSG), a foremost non-partisan good governance and development minded advocacy group comprising the crème de la crème of Ilaje elite and intelligentsia, we extend the IDSG’s warm felicitations to Your Excellency, and reiterate our prayers for your quick and whole recovery. May the Sun of Righteousness alight on you, with healing in His wings! We are trusting God that the IDSG, together with the entire citizens of Ondo State will soon rejoice with you, the First Family and the Ondo State Government on your recovery.
Your Excellency is aware of our moral support for your administration and our earnest desire that nothing shall impede your vision of leaving indelible footprint on the developmental strides in Ondo State. We were thus greatly delighted at the recent positive news of the Federal Government’s approval of Port Ondo, which is a notable feather to your cap.
However, news of recent events in the State as you took a leave of absence has given us great cause for concern and given the gravity of same and potentially immeasurable negative implications of same, we are left with no choice (given your current health challenges) but to bring them to your attention. These developments are currently leaving a sour taste in the mouths of the Ilaje Nation and all right thinking citizens of Ondo State.
The untoward events seem to be underpinned by an orchestration to unlawfully impeach or remove from office, our son and your Deputy, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa for reasons and to achieve objectives that are antithetical to the promotion of the welfare, good government and interests of the good people of Ondo State. This may be to frustrate the mandatory requirements of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended (1999 Constitution) that the Deputy Governor would act in the absence of the Governor. We would not have paid much attention to this but for the following specific events:
Fabricated Allegations of Domestic Abuse
We have confirmed that the allegations of domestic abuse by the Deputy Governor of his beloved wife, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, is a fabrication from the pit of hell and designed to generate an impeachable offence since there is no other ploy that the plotters could employ. Hon. Aiyedatiwa could not accused of financial impropriety, of being unfaithful to his wife, or of generally not living a disciplined life. Furthermore, he has been a man of proven absolute loyalty to Your Excellency, hence the resort to crafting domestic abuse allegations. We also know that based on your own knowledge of your Deputy, and interactions with him and his wife, you will easily give short shrift to such ridiculous allegations.
We are saddened by the fact that this unfounded allegation and clear machination of political blackmail was meant to ruin Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s reputation and is meant to distract him from performing his assigned duties during your absence. It is a great disservice to Ondo State and we respectfully urge Your Excellency to call the perpetrators of the evil scheme to order. Your Excellency, it is possible that you are fully aware of what is happening in Ondo State while you are away and feel very reluctant to get involved, believing that politicians will always solve problems themselves. It is also possible that you are aware of what is going on and it is also possible that you are not completely aware of what is happening. Whichever is the case, Your Excellency, at this point as the Chief Security Officer of the State, your immediate intervention is of utmost urgency.
Deliberate Snub/Proceedings at the State House of Assembly (SHA)
Your Excellency, the hallmark of these shenanigans was seen last Friday, 2nd June 2023, at the State House of Assembly in Akure when an unusually large detachment of policemen appeared at the SHA Complex. Furthermore, we heard of the disrespect meted to the Deputy Governor on Saturday, 3rd June 2023 during the inauguration of the members of the SHA by Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, the new Speaker as the latter deliberately violated the order of protocol. We invite Your Excellency to please note that such disrespect to the person and the Office of the Deputy Governor is a direct disrespect to your noble self; since Hon. Aiyedatiwa was present there in his capacity, as your designated and lawful representative.
We are particularly pained, knowing of his utmost loyalty to Your Excellency and to your administration. The recurrence of these designs against Hon. Aiyedatiwa is the cause of serious concern and is deeply agitation the minds of the entire Ilaje Nation, given that he is one of our esteemed sons, a leading light and role model to many within and outside Ilajeland. In the circumstances, we are being forced to regard the continued harassment of Hon. Aiyedatiwa as deliberate ploy to slight the Ilaje Nation from which he emerged.
We are at a loss on the goings-on, considering the mammoth support that the Ilaje Nation gave your joint (Akeredolu – Aiyedatiwa) ticket in 2020. This is the first time since the creation of Ondo State in 1976 that an Ilaje man would be Deputy-Governor. Since these strange events have been happening, we have long pondered over and, but have been unable to answer this nagging question: “who is afraid of Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa and why?”
The Continued Disrespect and Sidelining of Ilaje Should Stop Forthwith
The place and contribution of Ilaje to the continued progress and development of Ondo State cannot be overemphasised. As residents of the sole oil producing area and by virtue of which Ondo State is recognised as an oil producing State, Ilajes are the only citizens of Ondo State whose lives have been irreversibly affected by upstream sector activities, even though the entire State is reaping the benefits. Entire communities including Ayetoro, (a Nigerian tourist landmark) have been, or are being, washed away right before our eyes and wreaking unimaginable trauma on Ilajes because of our helplessness to stem the onslaught.
Consequential ecology has taken away the means of livelihood of our people (fishing/acqua culture, hunting, logging, etc), and affecting the quality of their lives in the process (exemplified by transformation of drinkable water sources). The special interventions envisaged by law through the OSOPADEC and NDDC have not been significantly felt, and recently the impact of NDDC has been felt more in other parts of Ondo State than Ilaje Local Government Area. Yet, we have been bearing our fate with equanimity.
However, there is a limit to our long suffering, and we felt compelled, with every sense of responsibility to alert Your Excellency to the ongoing shenanigans, so that this disrespect of the Ilaje Nation can stop forthwith. The last time we checked, and as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, we are also citizens of this State, and not strangers? In line with the foregoing, we hereby appeal to Your Excellency to use your good offices to call those that want to disturb the peace and equilibrium of Ondo State to thereby distract your administration from consolidating on your achievements during this last lap of your tenure, to order.
For the avoidance of doubt, be assured that the entire Ilaje Nation that wholeheartedly supported your re-election by endorsing the Akeredolu-Aiyedatiwa ticket in 2020 are watching the goings-on, with keen interest. It would sad if either by omission or commission, a message is allowed to be passed that the current plot is a fitting reward for Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s unalloyed loyalty to Your Excellency. This is a fitting example for the proverbial saying that a stitch in time saves nine, which Your Excellency will most appreciate, given your responsibility as the Chief Security Officer of Ondo State.
We would also like Your Excellency to be cognisant of the fact that our above position represents or aligns with the views taken by all the very concerned significant stakeholders and opinion shapers in the Ilaje Nation – traditional and religious institutions, youths, community associations, etc.; we are merely giving expression to them.
Once again, we wish Your Excellency God’s speed in your health recovery. Please accept the warm assurances of our highest regards.
Yours faithfully,
FOR: ILAJE DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT GROUP
Rev. (Dr.) Ola Judah Ajidibo
Deputy Executive Administrator
CC:
H.E. Lucky Ayedatiwa , Deputy Governor of Ondo State
Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, Speaker, House of Assembly Ondo State
Hon. Justice Ayedun Olusegun Odusola, Chief Judge of Ondo State
Prince Abayomi Akinruntan, the Hon. Deputy Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly
CP Oyediran Adesoye Oyeyemi, Commissioner of Police, Ondo State
Engineer Ade Adetimehin, Ondo State Chairman, All Progressives Party (APC)
Senator Abdullahi Adamu National Chairman, APC
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