…SDP urges governor to disclose state of his health
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Anxiety has gripped the people of Ondo State over the current state of health of the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.
Sources said that Akeredolu’s health has recently seriously deteriorated, causing serious anxiety in the state, especially among his loyalists and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Akeredolu had since been battling with an unknown ailment and his wife, Betty, had in January raised the alarm over the alleged activities of Mrs Bunmi Ademosu on the care of Akeredolu.
Mrs Akeredolu had in a Whatsapp voice note, which went viral on the social media alleged that Mrs Ademosu was smuggling concoction into the residence of Akeredolu and warned her to desist from the alleged act.
The governor had recently went on his annual leave, which lasted for weeks just as it was rumoured that he used the opportunity to take care of his failing health.
However, there are rumours that the governor was yet to get over with his health challenge, which sources said was seriously deteriorating.
To this end, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state has raised concern over the secrecy in the health conditions of the governor and described the silence from the governor’s camp and the APC in the state as unexpected.
The state Chairman of the party, Mr Stephen Adewale, in a statement in Akure, the state capital, said that Akeredolu’s medical records needed not to be shrouded in secrecy.
Adewale said: “In the past 24 hours, the rumour of Governor Akeredolu’s poor health has dominated the media and spread like wildfire in Ondo State.”
“While it is no longer news that Governor Akeredolu is dealing with health issues as this was made clear in the viral voice note that was released by Ondo State First Lady, Mrs Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu, in recent weeks, the governor’s rumoured battle with blood cancer, his bedridden condition, and his inability to sign documents have taken centre stage.
“While the Social Democratic Party in Ondo State had enthusiastically and eagerly anticipated that the governor would refute such rumours by presenting himself to the public, the silence from the governor’s camp and the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State is concerning and alarming.
“To us at Ondo SDP, therefore, their silence and failure to deny or confirm the information implies consent. There are now serious doubts about Governor Akeredolu’s capacity to continue to govern the Sunshine State as his medical conditions remain shrouded in secrecy.
“It is quite disturbing that the state of the governor’s health has become a topic of state curiosity and concern.
“This situation continues to undermine the ability of the state government to fulfill its obligations and commitments, including those requiring the government to provide economic pathways to millions of people facing absolute poverty and uncertainty in the Sunshine State due to the reckless and insensitive removal of subsidy by the APC-led Federal Government.
“Ondo SDP call on Governor Akeredolu to respect the good people of Ondo State who have voted for him twice by presenting his medical records to the general public. We strongly believe that the good people of Ondo State have the right to know about the medical condition of their governor,” he added.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Richard Olatunde, could not be reached for comment as he did not respond to the calls put across to him and also failed to respond to the text messages sent to his phone.