The political calculation of strong believers of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN of Ondo State may have been dashed as the Owo-born technocrat is still in deep ‘romance’ with his predecessor, Olusegun Mimiko, DAILY POST has gathered.
Already, the governor has disappointed a chunk of the electorates who believed that, Akeredolu, on assumption of office would expose the alleged many sharp practices of former governor, Mimiko while in government.
Akeredolu shocked many of his supporters when he declared that his administration will not embark on any probing exercise. He described it as a distraction and sheer waste of time.
Many of the electorate, it was gathered, voted for Akeredolu because of their belief that he would be up to task of bringing Mimiko to reckoning.
Political observers in the sunshine state have expressed displeasure over the close relationship between Mimiko and Akeredolu, which they say, is inimical to the development of the state.
Political stakeholders in the State are beginning to lose hope in the five months old government of Governor Akeredolu’s administration over his alleged closeness with his predecessor, Mimiko.
They were said to be worried that Mimiko, who handed over to Akeredolu on February 24, has great influence on the present government despite their different political affiliations.
Mimiko, who is a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and who picked his political son, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, to contest against Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the November 26, 2016, gubernatorial election was said to have been determining, who and who should be in the new governor’s cabinet.
Political observers linked the relationship of the duo to their days at University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Investigation revealed that many of the electorates, who voted for Akeredolu, popularly called Aketi did so because they were of the opinion that he would not allow anyone to lord over him.
They premised their opinion on how the governor led the voice against the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, when he attempted to impose his stooge, Dr. Segun Abraham on APC before the party governorship election primary in September 3, 2016.
The people also supported Akeredolu because of their belief that he is their own Moses, who will take them away from the land of Egypt where Mimiko had kept them for eight years.
But they began to wonder when an anointed candidate of Mimiko, Dr. Francis Akonbiemu emerged the new Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Care Development Board against the preferred candidate of the majority of the APC chieftains in the state.
They were also worried over the continuous stay in office of the Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Toyin Akinkuotu and some Permanent Secretaries in the service, who they tagged as staunch supporters of Mimiko.
According to a competent source who pleaded anonymity, “We don’t know why Aketi will allow these people, who worked for Mimiko for eight years and who are die-hard fans of the former governor to remain in service. They are stylishly frustrating this government.
“I think, we now understand why the governor said he would not probe Mimiko’s administration.
“Many of us voted against Mimiko’s candidate, Jegede, not just because he (Jegede) is not credible but because we no longer want Mimiko’s influence on governance in the state.
“We decided to back Akeredolu because we knew him to be bold and that he will not allow godfather to rule over us.
” But reverse is the case now as he is presently wining and dining with Mimiko and the former governor has been determining those who should be in the cabinet or not.”
Also, all is not well between the former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi and Akeredolu over alleged attempt to deny him his entitlement.
Olanusi, who was impeached by the State Assembly in 2015 was reinstated by an Appeal Court in 2017.
The appeal Court held that the lawmaker acted in error by sacking Olanusi illegally.
Olanusi, who was the Deputy to Mimiko, fell apart with his boss when he joined the APC before the Presidential election in 2015.
His action was said to have angered Mimiko, who directed his boys at the Assembly to remove his deputy.
However, it was learnt that Mimiko, and a prominent lawyer had allegedly met Akeredolu in an attempt to frustrate Olanusi from receiving his entitlement as a former deputy governor.
A source within the APC said, “We are getting frustrated with this government day by day, nothing us moving, we are running out of patience, everyone like the governor played his role.
“We are Just moving around with nothing, the governor has gotten his own share, he should let us get ours.
“It is even sad for us to start seeing our own governor holding meetings with Mimiko, someone we all condemned and abused during the elections.
“This may spell doom for our party in the coming elections. We, the party members are fed up. “
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