Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has written to the state House of Assembly, intimating the legislature of his intention to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Akeredolu handed over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to act in his stead, as demanded by the constitution.
The Assembly confirmed on Tuesday that it received the letter of medical leave from Akeredolu.
Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji, explained that the governor had embarked on a 21-day leave for medical treatment abroad starting from June 7, 2023 to July 6, 2023.
According to the letter, read by the speaker, “The leave, which commenced on 7th of June, extends to 6th July, 2023 due to the public holidays on June 12 (Democracy Day) and Eid el Kabir (28th and 29th, June, 2023).”
The speaker noted that the governor, who had directed his deputy, Aiyedatiwa, to act as the governor while away, further assured of his resumption on the 6th of July, 2023.
Akeredolu was seen briefly in public shortly after he returned to the state from his 15-working days annual leave on May 1, but his ill-health continued to generate anxiety.
Public uproar in recent weeks had been further accentuated over the absence of any representative of the state government at the two meetings President Bola Tinubu held with governors in the country.
The second meeting held a few days back had two governors represented by their deputies but neither Akeredolu nor his deputy attended.
Last week, there was anxiety in Ondo and Nigeria as a whole after it was rumoured that Akeredolu had passed on. It was reported that his health had deteriorated and he needed “serious prayers”.
Another report claimed that the governor was scheduled to be flown out of Nigeria for treatment and to prevent pictures of the governor’s new but pathetic looks from getting out, the family asked security agents and a few politicians around him to put off their mobile phones.
The proclamation of the 10th Ondo Assembly was done on behalf of Akeredolu by Clerk of the Assembly, Mr Benjamin Jayeola. This further fuelled speculations that the governor was critically ill.
Akeredolu was reported to have been battling an ailment said to be blood cancer (leukemia), caused by a rise in the number of white blood cells in the body. It is a cancer of blood-forming tissues that hinders the body’s ability to fight infections.
It was not the first time the governor was rumoured to have died. In January 2023, Akeredolu was speculated to be bedridden, but his chief press secretary, Richard Olatunde, said the governor did not face any life-threatening illness.
Again, in April 2022, there were widespread rumours that the former NBA president and Attorney General of the state, who left the state for Germany on a 14-day vacation, had died in a German hospital.
Before his arrival to the country, the state government had on April 7, 2022 clarified that Akeredolu was not hospitalized in Germany or anywhere, and that the rumors were mere wishes of failed politicians who carried the burden of uncanny distrust and embedded treachery.
In order to discredit the rumour, Akeredolu after arriving Nigeria, appeared on a short video, which went viral, singing and dancing to prove that he was hale and hearty.
However, the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called for the resignation of the governor.
According to the party, in a statement by the state publicity secretary, Mr. Kennedy Peretei, the state should not be grounded because of the governor’s health condition.
PDP also challenged the state government and handlers of the governor to prove that Akeredolu was alive and should stop taking people of the state for granted.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state reacted to the issue in a statement by its chairman, Stephen Adewale, saying, “Being a public officer, the governor’s health record should not be shrouded in secrecy.”
The state government denied the rumour of the governor’s death.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs Ademola-Olateju, described as the “handiwork of mischief makers”, the rumours that Akeredolu was dead. Ademola-Olateju said the governor was very much alive, and urged the people of the state and the country to ignore rumour about Akeredolu’s death.
Fidelis David
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