On Thursday, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the just sworn-in governor of Ondo State, pledged to mobilise all relevant parties to “move the state forward.”
When Aiyedatiwa saw President Bola Tinubu late on Thursday night in Lagos, he announced his intention to “pull everybody to work together and see how we can move the state forward”.
His remarks were made just twenty-four hours after he was sworn in as governor in the wake of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s death.
According to Aiyedatiwa, the President gave him “advice and encouragement” to “take charge and mobilise everybody” in his state to carry out the duties of administration.
Following a protracted fight with prostate cancer, Akeredolu passed away on Wednesday, according to the Ondo State Government.
His passing is the fourth in recent memory of the country and the first for an Ondo governor in office.
In addition, Shehu Kangiwa of Sokoto (1981), Mamman Ali of Yobe (2009), and Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna (2012) all passed away while holding public office.
As the governor of Ondo State and the President’s former deputy, Aiyedatiwa clarified that he went to “further brief him on the events that happened in our state; the loss of our governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, and to also let him know that I have just been sworn in, because there can never be a vacuum.”
He added that he “thanked President Tinubu for standing by us during the critical moment in our state” during the private encounter. The events that made headlines in Ondo State over the past six months are no longer news.
“In the last six months, Ondo State was essentially in the news every day, but that is now history, and as president of the nation, he stood with us.
He continued, “I’m here to just thank him for being a father figure to the state, for all of his advice, for the development that is happening right now, and for what we have planned to do in the days ahead.”
In the meantime, Dapo Abiodun, his counterpart from Ogun State, claimed to have visited the President with condolences and to inform him of the state’s intentions for the upcoming year.
“We woke up with the devastating news of our senior colleague, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who was also the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum and the Chairman of the Southwest Governors Forum,” stated Abiosun.
Knowing how close, devoted, and encouraging he was of Mr. President throughout his journey to Aso Rock, I came to offer my condolences to Mr. President.
“I also used the opportunity to update him on our progress in Ogun State, including how well we’re doing and that we currently have one of the fastest growing and most improved economies in Nigeria. I also discussed our state’s current state of affairs and what we hope to accomplish in the upcoming year.”
