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Ondo 2024: Aiyedatiwa declares interest in governorship race
The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has formally declared his intention to contest the governorship election come November this year.
The governor dropped the long awaited news, hours after his predecessor, the late Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, was buried on Friday.
Mr Aiyedatiwa said he would wish to contest and win the forthcoming election as required by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for one more term.
He, however, would first have to win the Governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is slated for April this year.
The governor spoke on TVC News on Friday.
“Definitely, I will be running because I am already a sitting governor. And let me say this that nobody wants to be governor for one year,” Mr Aiyedatiwa said in response to a question whether he would run in the election.
“Give me what the constitution allows me to do, at least, let me have a chance of also running for one more term as it were,” he said.
The governor also denied that he had any conflict with the late Governor Akeredolu before his death.
He noted that it was a few individuals in the state, driven by their ambition, who caused the crisis in the state.
”Let me put this straight for the record sake, I never had issues with my former principal, there was no time we had a face off, there was no time we had an issue that will demand that I have to make up with him.
”All that were being pushed out at a time were basically political; they were all falsehood and insinuations because election was coming and they knew the governor was so sick and a lot of things were at play,” the governor said.
On the open letter written by five members of the House of Representatives from Ondo state to the President, Mr Aiyedatiwa said the members had a right to air their views.
“Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion. That is just an opinion of some people that are so driven by ambition. If you look at the profile of those five members of the House of Representatives, they have individual aspirants they are supporting in the upcoming election.
”So, all of them have their own ambition who they want to be governor. That is an unprogressive position and the party has actually responded that there was no crisis in the party, that they are not at loggerheads with me,” he said.
Mr Aiyedatiwa had kept his ambition close to his chest until Friday when Governor Akeredolu’s burial rites were concluded.
The APC national secretariat had ruled out the possibility of an automatic ticket for him.
It was however, gathered that there are forces within his party averse to his ambition and that he would need to work hard to be able to win the party’s ticket.
That are also fears that the President Bola Tinubu factor might be a major decider, and this has informed a number of aspirants travelling regularly to Abuja to curry the favour of the presidency as the primaries approach.
News
Governor Oyebanji Raises State’s monthly Subvention By N438.9 million
Similarly, the Governor has also approved payment of the outstanding 2020 leave bonus to local government workers
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has approved a major increment in the monthly subvention to the Judiciary and the legislative arm of government as well as the subvented institutions in the state.
The increment which amounts to N438.9 million monthly is to enable the institutions take care of the new minimum wage and the attendant consequential adjustment for workers.
In a statement,Olayinka OyebodeSpecial Adviser (Media) to the Governor, disclosed that the
beneficiaries of the increment include the Ekiti State Customary Court of Appeal, Ekiti State High Court of Justice; Ekiti State Judicial Service Commission, and Ekiti State House of Assembly Service Commission.
Others are Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, (EKSU); Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH); Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere Ekiti; Ekiti State Polythecnic, Isan Ekiti; College of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti and Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and associated Institutions.
Similarly, the Governor has also approved payment of the outstanding 2020 leave bonus to local government workers, in fulfilment of his promise to defray all outstanding entitlements of workers inherited from previous administrations.
While restating the commitment of his administration to the wellbeing and welfare of workers and retirees, Governor Oyebanji says efforts are being made to ensure payment of all outstanding entitlements including gratuities in line with the continuity and shared prosperity agenda of the government.
He urges workers in the state to remain focused on excellent service delivery and to see themselves as strategic stakeholders in the Ekiti Project.
The first child of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, late Abiola Ajimobi’s, known as Bisola Ajimobi Kola-Daisi, is dead.
It was gathered that Bisola who is married to Mr Kolapo Kola-Daisi died in the early hours of Thursday.
She died at the age of 42.
According to reports, she died in the United Kingdom.
Until her death, she was the Special Adviser to the Minister of Budget and Planning, Atiku Bagudu.
The Special Adviser to the former governor, Mr Bolaji Tunji confirmed the incident to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.
Tunji said, “Yes. It has been confirmed”.
The House of Representatives on Thursday reversed its decision on the second reading of a bill which sought to strip the vice-president, governors and deputy governors of immunity.
The lower legislative chamber made the U-turn after the Majority Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere, moved a motion.
The bill, which is sponsored by Solomon Bob, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker from Rivers State, passed second reading on Wednesday.
Bob noted that the bill seeks to “promote accountability in public office” by removing the immunity currently granted to the vice-president, governors and their deputies.
Section 308 of the Constitution states that “the president, vice-president, governor, and deputy governor, during the period he/she is holding the office, shall not be subjected to civil or criminal proceedings.
“The occupants of the office shall not also be arrested or imprisoned and no process of any court requiring or compelling their appearance.
”Bob stated said the move is to curb corruption, curb immunity, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office.
The green chamber also rescinded its decision on the bill to abolish the death penalty.
The bill also passed second reading during plenary on Wednesday.
Governor Oyebanji Raises State’s monthly Subvention By N438.9 million
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