Akeredolu Sacks Deputy’s Media Team
The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has disbanded the media team of his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and directed all members of the press crew to report to their various ministries and stations.
The governor noted this in a statement by his spokesman, Richard Olatunde, stating that the action is with immediate effect.
It would be recalled that Akeredolu has been away on medical leave for three months during which Aiyedatiwa stood in as the acting governor, he returned to Nigeria last week.
He directed the appointees to submit all government properties in their possession to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor.
Those affected 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.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has debunked rumours making the rounds of his disloyalty to the governor, stressing that the reports were propagated to create discord between himself and the governor.
The reports, according to the deputy governor, were issued by some anonymous groups and residents of the state to tarnish his reputation for political purposes.
In a statement signed by Aiyedatiwa’s spokesman, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, he said, “The deputy governor remains loyal to his principal and no amount of fabricated lies will change that.”
“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 are pure fabrications, 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.”
Aiyedatiwa added that there was no gap between his principal and himself as he was in constant touch with him.
