An All Progressives Congress pressure group in Ondo State, Ondo Solidarity Forum, has described as “a show of shame”, the alleged relocation of governance from Akure, the Ondo State capital, to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to enable Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to resume office.
Akeredolu on Friday officially resumed work from his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State, after a three-month medical vacation in Germany.
Akeredolu returned to Nigeria on Thursday from Germany where he spent three months treating an undisclosed ailment.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its acting chairman, Femi Ogunleye, and publicity secretary, Kayode Fasua, the group described the mass movement of members of the executive and legislative arms of government from Akure to Ibadan “to make Akeredolu resume office”, as a mockery of democracy and a master plan by the cabal in the state.
The statement added, “While we wish Governor Akeredolu well and pray for his quick recovery, our people in Ondo State are not dunces to know that the function of the legs is to walk and not that of the head. Yes, the recuperating governor is back in Nigeria and has settled in at his Ibadan, Oyo State residence to take a deserved rest.
“Why, therefore, the hurry to make Governor Akeredolu resume office when he is not yet fit? It is indeed a show of shame for the cabinet members and other aides in the executive arm and the entire members of the House of Assembly loaded in a coaster bus like Boys SScouts to form a long convoy of vehicles from Akure tScoutsdan, to go proclaim that Akeredolu, who is still on vacation, has resumed as governor.
“We are all human beings and are susceptible to one ailment or the other, so we particularly feel for Governor Akeredolu and pray for his full recovery. However, if the governor was truly fit enough to resume office, he would have stormed Akure and be ushered to a tumultuous welcome or show up at the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka to continue his duties.”
He said the state’s House of Assembly members were possibly spurred by the exciting pleasure of brand-new sport utility vehicles recently distributed to them and loaded themselves in a bus at the risk of a possible accident that could wipe off the entire legislative arm “simply to go proclaim in Ibadan that Akeredolu has transmitted a letter to the House Speaker that he is through with his medical vacation”.
Meanwhile, efforts to get the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, failed. However, a government source told our correspondent that the governor would return to the state this week.
