A Month After Aketi And Ondo 2024 In View

By .Dr. Akeredolu O.N.

The current Governor of Ondo State might not be the most educated politician and richest of the aspirants like Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, not extremely rhetorical like Chief Olusola Oke SAN, never served in most administrations like Mama Oladuni Odu, or claimed to be an unparalleled financial expert like Mr. Wale Akinterinwa. One thing endears him to the people of the Sunshine State: his ability to listen to all and sundry, making the opinions of people count, coupled with a willingness to move Ondo State forward. This makes a reasonable challenge against him for Ondo State 2024 impossible.

*Irrespective of the unholy arrangement on the ground, a rumour being peddled by the supporters of the other aspirants, the pendulum of victory shall swing in the direction of H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa based on divine mandate and his popularity with the masses. They are currently working towards a carnival, intending to purchase a nomination form for him. Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is a populist who listens to the masses. The Jagaban of Borgu will support the most popular governorship aspirant, who is H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, come the next APC primary, which is less than 90 days away.*

Exactly a month ago, on the 27th of Dec., 2023, I was preparing for the usual ward rounds as a neurosurgeon in training, around 7:00 AM when a call came in from a former deputy speaker in the state who had been fighting for the rule of law to prevail, like myself. One of the few Honourables of the 9th assembly who made the impeachment of Aketi’s first deputy governor (Hon Agboola Ajayi) a mirage, Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, told Dr Akeredolu O.N that he heard very sad news. He confided in me that we had lost our governor. Still in shock but not surprised, having known the prognosis and how serious Aketi’s rumoured disease was, as a surgeon, I knew it was a terminal illness, i.e., Arakunrin would die of the disease, medically speaking, unless God intervened.

Thereafter, several calls followed to confirm the ugly incident. The news was trickling in from online bloggers, and the rest is now history. Arakunrin shall be laid to rest with Mother Earth this coming February. However, there’s a lot to learn from him on how we should take this life. I had nothing against Aketi in person, but his dictatorial tendencies, self-centeredness, and monopolization of governance needed to be challenged, and someone like me took up the responsibility. History, God, and posterity shall put us where we belong on the side of the divide.

On the evening of the sad day, the acting Governor was sworn in as the substantive Governor. The permutation about who became the Deputy Governor came up. Ordinarily, it should move to Ondo Central Senatorial District, but for the love of his former boss, H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa preferred to get someone from Owo to complete this tenure with him, while another Deputy shall be picked from the Central after the primary by April this year. This is a lovely political arrangement, making the general election a workover. Finally, Dr. Olayide Adelami, the former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, was considered by the stakeholders, screened, and confirmed by the House of Assembly members as the new number two citizen of the state. In the same vein, the grassroots politician and former Secretary to the Ondo State Governor, Hon. Temitope Oluwatuyi, was re-appointed to his previous position. Lest I forget, despite the social media bragging of the supporters of the previously erring appointees, mostly commissioners and the SSG, they were successfully fired by the current Governor, now shopping for their replacement.

The state is not missing the former First Family of the state, basking in the euphoria of the newly found liberty from the excesses of the first Igbo first lady in the history of Ondo State, Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu, and their untrained last-child, Babajide Akeredolu. It’s now a taboo for aspiring politicians in Sunshine State to marry non-Yoruba wives; that is an automatic failure in the political contest, courtesy of Aketi’s wife and her unruly behaviour. The most amazing thing to me and very shocking is that most of the people who were asking for H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s head have suddenly become his friends. What a miracle of the century! It’s also a confirmation that Nigerian politics is too lucrative and the majority of the players are not there for service but to feather their nests and have no conviction or ideology, being driven around by their stomachs and unending lust. May God have mercy on Nigeria. Honestly, there is no hope for this country unless by divine intervention. The problem in Nigeria is not only leadership; in fact, followers are more terrible because of their sycophantic attitudes.

The next Governorship is around the corner, though the pendulum will definitely swing in the direction of H.E. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, irrespective of the unholy arrangement on the ground because he has won the hearts of the masses, and they are currently working to purchase his nomination form for him to contest the 2024 Governorship. This carnival-like event is being delayed by the burial of the former Governor, Aketi, as a mark of honour and respect for the departed soul. Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, being a populist, judging from his antecedents in ACN, APC, and his actions so far as the President, he believes in listening to the masses as much as possible, which may explain his unending political reign, the first of its kind in Nigerian political history. The most successful politician in Nigeria, Tinubu, will support the people’s agenda in the Lucky Ondo State incumbent Governor.

The same attribute that has endeared H.E. Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to the populace, despite not being the most educated politician and richest of the aspirants like Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, not exceptionally rhetorical like Chief Olusola Oke SAN, never served in all administrations like Mama Oladuni Odu, not claimed to be the unparalleled financial expert like Mr. Wale Akinterinwa; however, his ability to listen to the downtrodden, coupled with a willingness to move the state forward, will make it difficult for any aspirant to make a meaningful challenge against this Ilaje first son, as his supporters would say.

*Dr. Akeredolu O.N, Leader, Aketi Medical Team, 2016, Vice Chairman, Aketi-Aiyedatiwa Medical Committee, 2020.*