Ondo Governor, Akeredolu Passes Away, Aiyedatiwa, Deputy to Assume Office

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has passed away at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday in a German hospital where he was undergoing treatment, as confirmed by a senior government official in Ondo State. His demise was attributed to leukaemia and prostate cancer, conditions that had rendered him incapacitated for several months.

Following the official announcement of the governor’s death, Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is set to be sworn in as the new governor by the state’s Chief Judge. Akeredolu had initially taken a medical leave in June for an undisclosed ailment, returning in September but still managing his health in Ibadan, Oyo State, causing public outcry. Critics accused him of clinging to power despite his evident incapacity.

In December, he commenced another medical leave, formally transferring power to the Deputy Governor in an acting capacity. A power struggle ensued, involving Aiyedatiwa and Akeredolu, leading to an attempted impeachment against the deputy governor. The chaos subsided when President Bola Tinubu intervened, maintaining the status quo with conditions, including Aiyedatiwa not being declared acting governor and submitting an undated resignation letter to President Tinubu.

Akeredolu’s death clears the way for Aiyedatiwa to be sworn in as the substantive governor of Ondo State.