The Acting Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has urged the people of the state to avoid unnecessary distractions, hints on the need for unity of purpose for the progress of the state.
Aiyedatiwa stated this on Thursday morning during a state broadcast on the assumption of office as the acting governor of the state following the transmission of power to him by his principal who is on medical leave and the ratification of the move by the state assembly.
Aiyedatiwa in his address called on the people of the state to join hands together and return the state to the path of “accelerated progress”.
The acting governor also appealed to the people to continue prayers for quick recovery of his principal, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
He urged the people of the state to “return quickly to the path of accelerated progress that has eluded the State in the last few months”.
Aiyedatiwa said, “We must excuse unnecessary distractions. We can no longer be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We must stand together until the end.
“We must come back stronger and more determined to advance the welfare and security of our people, being the primary object of government as encapsulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. Let us build a shared future from a divided past. We owe no less to the good people of the Sunshine State.”
After series of crisis erupted by the refusal of Akeredolu to resign or hand over power to his deputy in line with the 1999 constitution, the governor eventually transmitted power to his deputy, and proceeded on another medical vacation to Germany on Wednesday.
In his speech, Aiyedatiwa said the aborted impeachment process against him by the state assembly and other intrigues following the health challenges of Akeredolu were “avoidable distractions”.
The acting governor said, “At this juncture, permit me to say that only God Almighty has explanations for what happened in the last few months.
“When nature sets in to hinder human performance, it is always a painful thing. We must acknowledge that the key to the well-being of a man is in the hands of God. It is not for us as humans to question God but to pray for His mercies upon our lives.
“It is in this regard that we admit with all sense of responsibility that the intrigues that ensued due to Mr Governor’s health challenges were indeed avoidable distractions.
“We ought to have done better to keep giving Ondo State the seamless and solid governance which Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, had established in the State in the last six-and-a-half years.”
He also expressed appreciation to the President and other chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for “providing succor to Ondo State at our critical time of cloud and need”.
