From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Thirteen members of the Ondo State House of Assembly have denied claim by the Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji, that the House has endorsed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for the next governorship election.
Oladiji had at the formal declaration of Aiyedatiwa for the governorship position, announced that the state House of Assembly under his leadership had endorsed him (Aiyedatiwa).
The claim has, however, generated serious controversies among the lawmakers who alleged that the endorsement issue was not at any time discussed at their plenary.
The lawmakers who kicked against Oladiji ‘s claim include Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi (Majority Leader), MoyinOlorun Taiwo Ogunwumiju, Oluwarotimi Babatunde Fasonu (Chief Whip) Olajide Johnson Oguntodu (Minority Leader), Raymond Daodu (Deputy Minority Leader) and Akinsuroju Akindolani Nelson.
Others are Akomolafe Temitope, Ifabiyi Samuel Olatunji, Agbulu Tope Akeem, Christopher Odunayo Ayebusiwa, Atinuke Morenike Witherspoon, Biola John Oladapo and Afe Felix.
The lawmakers in a statement said: “The said declaration by the Speaker is untrue, misleading, un-parliamentary, and, to say the least, ridiculous. We, therefore, wish to inform the good people of Ondo State at home and in the Diaspora that at no time did the Ondo State House of Assembly deliberate the governorship ambition of any of the numerous aspirants that have indicated their interests to contest for the state’s 2024 governorship election, let alone agree to support any particular aspirant.”
Ondo 2024: Akeredolu never endorsed Aiyedatiwa
Political associates of the late Akeredolu have also dispelled the claim by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa that the late governor had endorsed him as his successor before his demise.
Mr. Richard Olatunde said his late principal did not endorse Aiyedatiwa before his death and therefore warned the governor to desist from misinforming the public.
He warned Governor Aiyedatiwa to stop exploiting the deceased governor’s name for political gain.
Olatunde emphasised that both Akeredolu’s family and his ardent supporters across the state strongly object to Aiyedatiwa’s deceptive tactics.
The former spokesperson to Akeredolu was reacting to Governor Aiyedatiwa’s claim that the late governor desired that he succeeded him.