Doyin Odebowale, the Special Adviser on Special Duty and Strategy to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, has shed light on the governor’s absence from the state’s capital, Akure, attributing it to accommodation challenges. In an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, Odebowale revealed the reasons behind the governor’s relocation.
Governor Akeredolu has been notably absent from Ondo State since his return from a medical vacation abroad, choosing to work from Ibadan, Oyo State instead. This decision has sparked controversy within the state, with the youth wing of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issuing an ultimatum for the governor’s return.
According to Odebowale, Governor Akeredolu’s state of health necessitates better living conditions to enable him to fulfill his duties in overseeing the affairs of the South-West state effectively.
“Aketi came back in September. Where he used to stay—the Presidential Lodge built for the visiting president at that time, Olusegun Obasanjo—is a two-bedroom apartment,” Odebowale explained during the interview. “Now, he is back. He cannot occupy that place again. The Old Governor’s Office—the Governor’s Lodge built by the previous administration—is now the office of the investment outlet called the ODIPA. That’s the office.”
He further emphasized the governor’s need for an improved living environment in consideration of his current health condition. A new residence is being arranged for him, nearly completed, to facilitate his recovery.
In response to calls for Governor Akeredolu’s return, Odebowale raised the question, “When they say they want to see Aketi, do they want to see him at the site so that he would be carrying cement or following workmen?” He also noted that civil servants have received their salaries, and the governor has been actively involved in signing legislation since his return.
