The Ondo State Government on Saturday called for the public to disregard rumours suggesting the state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu had passed away.
Despite the governor’s indisposition, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, clarified in a statement that the governor is still alive.
Ademola-Olateju said, “We have been inundated with calls and messages concerning the state of health of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON.
“We had chosen to ignore this wicked fabrication until it appeared that certain persons seek to draw political mileage from the disinformation.
“Though the Governor has been indisposed, he has been attending to state matters and delegating functions to functionaries of the Government, when necessary.
“We enjoin the members of the public to ignore the rumour. Aketi is very much alive.”
Despite this reassurance, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed concerns over the health of Governor Akeredolu.
Both parties questioned the secrecy surrounding the governor’s medical condition.
The state chairman of the SDP, Stephen Adewale, argued that the governor’s health should be public knowledge, saying, “We strongly believe that the good people of Ondo State have the right to know about the medical conditions of Arakunrin Akeredolu.”
The spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party, Kennedy Peretei shared a similar sentiment, stating, “Those hiding the governor should tell the people where he is to save the state from speculation.”
He added that if the governor can no longer fulfil his responsibilities, he should hand over to the Deputy Governor.
Peretei concluded, “Our party joins millions of Ondo State people to pray for Akeredolu’s quick recovery, but nobody should play politics with his ill health. Nobody should ground the state beyond its present state. Let Akeredolu resign if he is no longer fit to be governor.”
