In a bid to quell the escalating political tensions in Ondo State, President Bola Tinubu has stepped into the fray, inviting key stakeholders, including the state's House of Assembly Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, and party leaders, to a crucial meeting in Abuja. The move comes amid a power struggle between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, that has threatened to plunge the state into a constitutional crisis.
Sources reveal that the President's intervention follows appeals from notable figures, including the pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere and traditional rulers, urging him to avert a potentially dire situation. The leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, penned a letter to President Tinubu, highlighting the urgency of his involvement to prevent a constitutional crisis.
The Ondo State House of Assembly, currently divided over the crisis, had served an impeachment notice to the deputy governor, prompting a legal challenge. Notably, 11 members have reportedly crossed over to support Aiyedatiwa, fueling speculation of his potential elevation to acting governor.
Scheduled for today, the meeting in Abuja is anticipated to determine the course of action, with Speaker Oladiji confirming its occurrence. The original plan for a plenary session in the state assembly to declare Aiyedatiwa as acting governor has been put on hold due to the President's intervention.
As the political drama unfolds, there is heightened anticipation regarding the outcomes of the high-stakes meeting, which holds the potential to reshape the political landscape of Ondo State and reverberate across national party dynamics.
