Akeredolu Sacks Deputy’s Media Aides

The Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Tuesday, reiterated his loyalty to his boss and state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.

According to Aiyedatiwa, some reports making the rounds in recent times about his purported disloyalty to his boss were lies and targeted at causing disaffection between him and the governor.

The deputy governor said this in a statement issued on Tuesday titled ‘The fabricated lies against the deputy governor of Ondo State: the blackmailers are at it again’.

The statement was issued by his media aide, Mr Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson.

However, another Tuesday statement issued by Mr Richard Olatunde, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, announced that all media aides appointed by Akeredolu, and seconded to the office of the deputy governor, have been relieved of their appointments immediately.

According to the statement, the deputy’s governor office’s operations moving forward must be adequately covered by the Ministry of Information and Orientation.

Earlier, the deputy governor’s statement had alleged that the disloyalty reports were spread by some faceless groups and individuals in the state to ruin his image for political reasons.

It read, “We need to remind the public that this is a continuation of the blackmail started by these same characters some months ago, with false stories planted in some media outlets against the deputy governor. However, since those lies did not yield the result they envisaged, the blackmailers have returned with fake stories about disloyalty, aimed at causing disaffection between him and the governor.

“These faceless individuals who have been hiding their identities because what they are putting out is pure fabrication and are being sponsored by those who are threatened by the profile of the deputy governor, his relationship with his boss, and the goodwill he enjoys with the people.

“Many stakeholders have commended the deputy governor for the way he handled state affairs while he was acting governor, despite all his detractors did to provoke him into taking drastic actions. He avoided their booby traps, and they tripped on their own banana peels.”

The statement added that the deputy governor was in constant touch with his principal on official state matters and that there was no gap between them when the latter went on three-month medical leave.

In the statement issued by the CPS to Akeredolu, the affected aides include Press Secretary to the Governor, Kenneth Odusola; Special Assistant to Governor (New Media) Okunniga Oladipupo; and Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography) Abayomi Samson Adefolalu.

The statement read, “All media aides appointed by the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, and seconded to the office of the deputy governor, have been relieved of their appointments with immediate effect.

“They are to submit all government properties in their possession to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor.

“Similarly, the press crew attached to the office of the deputy governor has been disbanded. Consequently, all members of the press crew are to report back to their various ministries and stations.

“Equally, the Ministry of Information and Orientation is directed to provide adequate coverage for the activities of the deputy governor’s office henceforth.”