Aiyedatiwa Takes Oath of Office as Ondo State Governor Following Akeredolu’s Passing

In a solemn ceremony at the Cocoa Conference Hall within the governor’s office in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, the Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, was officially sworn in as the governor of the Sunshine State on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. The oath, administered by Chief Judge Justice Olusegun Odusola at precisely 5:18 pm, marked the beginning of Aiyedatiwa’s tenure.

The significant event was attended by a distinguished gathering, including other judges, key government officials, the secretary to the state government, members of the state cabinet, the state All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, and representatives from the state house of assembly.

Aiyedatiwa’s ascension to the governorship comes in the wake of the untimely passing of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu earlier on the same day. Governor Akeredolu, who was grappling with health challenges, succumbed to complications from prostate cancer in Germany, where he was undergoing medical treatment.

Aiyedatiwa’s journey to the governorship was marked by resilience. Faced with an impeachment plot orchestrated by Akeredolu’s allies in the Ondo State House of Assembly and staunch opposition from his late principal’s loyalists, Aiyedatiwa navigated through a challenging political landscape.

The state witnessed a period of political uncertainty, with activists and constitutional lawyers urging Akeredolu to adhere to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution by transmitting power to Aiyedatiwa. The former governor eventually made the transmission on December 13, 2023, before embarking on his final medical trip overseas.

Unfortunately, Akeredolu, aged 67, did not return to Nigeria, succumbing to complications related to prostate cancer on the very day Aiyedatiwa assumed office.

As the newly sworn-in governor, Aiyedatiwa faces the task of leading Ondo State through this period of transition and charting a course for the future.