The months-long political crisis in Ondo State may have come to a halt as President Bola Tinubu late Friday waded into the matter and elicited resolve from the opposing factions to embrace peace and maintain status quo.
This was as the Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, pledged to carry all commissioners and officials along in handling the state’s affairs and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Oladiji Olamide, resolved to halt all impeachment moves against Aiyedatiwa.
The resolutions came after nearly six hours of deliberations between the President and state officials, including members of the All Progressives Congress, who converged on the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, until late on Friday night.
The Deputy Governor who declared his decision to maintain the status quo and unite all the warring factions said, “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one of you. I put behind all that has happened before now. I’ve let go and also let God, just as the President has advised us.
“And I want to say that no offence, no guile in my mind whatsoever. All that has happened is politics. Impeachment is part of politics. If you survive it, it is also politics. It has come. I’ve survived it and every other thing in his past.
“It is one big family and our father has intervened to bring all the children together to remain under the same family and with the position that I occupy, I will carry every one of you along in every decision that needs to be taken and everything that we do we will work together; the executive and the legislature will work together to ensure that governance is on the right track.”
He pleaded with all members of the State Executive Council to cooperate with the governor and himself to “bring the dividend of democracy” to the people of Ondo State.
“We should respect one another regarding the offices we occupy and our age differences. So, it’s going to be mutual respect.
“And I want to assure the party structure that we will work together because the party is supreme. We will always give you the due respect,” he added.
The Speaker of the House, Olamide, who read the details of the resolution, said, “Our resolution is that one, we shall embrace peace. Secondly, there would be no more dissolution of the cabinet and the Deputy Governor would maintain status quo as far as the House of Assembly leadership is concerned.
“We will maintain status quo as far as the party leadership in the state is concerned and maintain status quo as far as the leadership of the State House of Assembly is concerned. Thank you, Mr. President.”
Friday’s resolution came barely two days after Ondo State Elders and Leaders called on the President to urgently intervene in the constitutional crisis in the state and avert the looming breakdown of law and order.
The Elders and Leaders also called on the state and national leaderships of the governing party, the All Progressives Congress, to provide the required guide to those in government and ensure discipline in their camp.
In a letter addressed to the President and signed by the convener, Reuben Fasontanti, and the secretary, Bakkita Bello, the elders urged the State House of Assembly to impeach neither the Governor nor his Deputy Governor
“All unelected persons should allow the three arms of government to find a lasting solution to the current crisis,” they had appealed.
Ondo state has been a hotbed of political uncertainty in the past months as the Governor, Akeredolu, had been away in Germany undergoing medical treatment.
Although Akeredolu returned to Nigeria in the first week of September after a three-month medical leave, he had been operating from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
In his absence, his deputy, Aiyedatiwa, faced an impeachment process initiated by Ondo lawmakers over allegations of gross misconduct.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu had ordered the police to withdraw from the premises of the Ondo State House of Assembly in Akure.