The ruling All Progressives Congress has taken a bold step toward resolving the lingering feud between Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, and his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, after his return from medical treatment abroad.
The media has been awash in the last few weeks with reports of how Aiyedatiwa was served an impeachment notice by the state House of Assembly.
But the politician has yet to respond to all the allegations in the notice.
Reacting to the move in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, stated that the ruling party was currently exploring the option of an internal mechanism to resolve the crisis.
Ibrahim reiterated that the leadership of the ruling party was not making noise about it because it was a sensitive issue.
He said, “I don’t think the party will want an internal affair to go out of hand. You are aware that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has just returned from a sick leave and the party has an internal mechanism for settling dispute.
“I am sure that option has not been exhausted. It is not for the party to start debating this on the pages of newspapers or in the media.”
Ibrahim also dismissed insinuation that certain elements who were seeing the governor as a lame duck had hijacked his government.
“No, the governor is above that. You cannot accuse him of being a lame duck or someone who is not in control of his affairs. For someone who has just returned from a sick leave, I think it will be unfair to drag him into undue conflict at this time.
“He needs time to recuperate properly and he needs the support of the people. Moreover, Akeredolu is a senior lawyer. But I can assure you that it will not go out of hand,” he noted.
Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the party, Nze Chidi Duru, also shared the same sentiment when he said the crisis was not something Dr Abdullahi Ganduje-led National Working Committee could leave alone for the state to handle.
Meanwhile the APC national chairman has appointed the immediate-past Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, as chairman of a nine-man committee to intervene in the crisis between Ondo governor and his deputy.
The latest move was disclosed in a statement issued in the early hours of Friday by Ganduje’s Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu. The former Kano governor promised that the Masari committee would interact with stakeholders in the state, based on mutual respect, with a view to finding a lasting solution.
