The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State on Saturday asked Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to resign if he could no longer perform his functions.
But in a swift reaction, the state government urged the people of the state to ignore any rumour about the governor’s incapacitation or death, adding that the governor is very much alive.
There has been tension in the state about the whereabouts of the governor.
The PDP warned that the state should not be grounded beyond its present state and cautioned politicians against playing politics with the health of the governor.
The Ondo PDP said the handlers of Akeredolu have not released any information as to his whereabouts.
A spokesman for the Ondo PDP, Kennedy Peretei, said it was a great disservice to keep mum over the governor’s health status and his whereabouts.
He said: “The PDP Ondo State chapter demands that those hiding the governor should tell the people where he is to save the state from speculation.”
The main opposition party in the state recalled that when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was incapacitated due to health in 2010, Akeredolu was one of the most vociferous voices, calling for his resignation and allowing the then vice president to take over.
It added that if Akeredolu can no longer discharge his official responsibilities, the most reasonable thing to do is to hand over to the Deputy Governor as required by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“Our party joins millions of Ondo State people to pray for Akeredolu’s quick recovery, but nobody should play politics with his health. Nobody should ground the state beyond its present state. Let Akeredolu resign if he is no longer fit to be governor.”
He said: “Since an online medium reported that the governor is bedridden and incapacitated, Akeredolu’s handlers responded by fuelling public anxiety and suspicion, instead of telling the state, where exactly he is, or getting him to address Ondo State, from wherever he is on planet earth.
“When Akeredolu did not return to his duty post after his celebrated annual leave in March this year, tongues started wagging. At the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, Akeredolu was conspicuously absent.
“The deafening silence from government information machinery suddenly saturated social media space with old videos of Akeredolu dancing and singing praises.”
However, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, said though the governor has been indisposed, he has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the government, when necessary.”
To respond to the PDP, a video was released by the state government showing the governor watching the Manchester United match.
She said the governor has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the government, when necessary.
He said: “We have been inundated with calls and messages concerning the state of health of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), CON. We had chosen to ignore this wicked fabrication until it appeared that certain persons seek to draw political mileage from the disinformation.
“We enjoin the members of the public to ignore the rumour. Aketi is very much alive.”
Fidelis David in Akure
Follow us on:
