By John Odunjo
Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reiterated his loyalty to the governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.
Ayedatiwa, in a statement on Tuesday, said some reports making the rounds in recent times about his purported disloyalty to Akeredolu were lies and aimed at causing disaffection between him and the governor.
The deputy governor, in the statement, signed earlier in the day by his spokesperson, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, said, “The deputy governor remains loyal to his principal and no amount of fabricated lies will change that.
“We need to remind the public that this is a continuation of the blackmail started by these same characters some months ago, with false stories planted in some media outlets against the deputy governor.
“However, since those lies did not yield the result they envisaged, the blackmailers have returned with fake stories about disloyalty, aimed at causing disaffection between him and the governor.
“These faceless individuals who have been hiding their identities because what they are putting out are pure fabrications, are being sponsored by those who are threatened by the profile of the deputy governor, his relationship with his boss, and the goodwill he enjoys with the people.”
Ayedatiwa, who said that he was in constant touch with his principal on official state matters when the governor was away on medical leave, said that there was no gap between them.
But the governor later in the day disbanded the media team of his deputy.
The governor directed the affected political appointees – Press Secretary to the Governor, Kenneth Odusola; Special Assistant to Governor (New Media), Okunniga Oladipupo; and Special Assistant to the Governor (Photography), Abayomi Samson Adefolalu – “to submit all government properties in their possession to the acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor”.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, which conveyed the sack, also directed all members of the Deputy Governor’s Press Crew to return to their various ministries and stations.
The government directed the Ministry of Information to handle media matters in the Deputy Governor’s Office.
