Why Akeredolu Is Working From Ibadan and Not Akure – Aide 

The absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from Ondo State since his return from a medical vacation abroad has raised questions. In response, Doyin Odebowale, the Special Adviser on Special Duty and Strategy to Governor Akeredolu, has shed light on the reason for the governor’s temporary relocation to Ibadan, Oyo State.

Accommodation challenges have compelled Governor Akeredolu to operate from Ibadan instead of the state capital, Akure. Mr. Odebowale explained that the governor’s health condition necessitates better housing to effectively manage the affairs of Ondo State.

“Aketi came back in September. Where he used to stay – the Presidential Lodge built for the visiting president at that time Olusegun Obasanjo – is a two-bedroom apartment,” Odebowale disclosed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

With the current state of his health, it is not feasible for Governor Akeredolu to reside in the two-bedroom apartment previously used. The Old Governor’s Office, which served as the Governor’s Lodge in the past, is now utilized as the office of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ODIPA).

Odebowale explained, “So, the governor has been managing a two-bedroom apartment for six years. But his current state of health would not permit him to pretend that all is well. He would need all the things for him to recover properly. That’s why the new place that is being arranged for him is almost completed.”

Critics have demanded the governor’s immediate return to Ondo State, with opposition youths from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) issuing an ultimatum. However, Odebowale countered these demands by highlighting that governance in the state has continued smoothly even in the governor’s absence.

“When they say they want to see Aketi, do they want to see him at the site so that he would be carrying cement or following workmen? What exactly? The civil servants have been paid all their salaries. Aketi has been signing laws since he came back,” Odebowale emphasized.

Furthermore, Odebowale suggested that Governor Akeredolu’s absence had led to speculation that he is “surrounded by enemies from within, even his family.”