SaharaReporters learnt that the power tussle between the two came to a head when Odu reportedly threatened Governor Aiyedatiwa that she had President Bola Tinubu’s backing and that they could throw the governor out of office.
The Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG), Princess Oladunni Odu, on Monday, engaged in a shouting match with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa during a cabinet meeting to discuss the burial of the former governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
SaharaReporters learnt that the power tussle between the two came to a head when Odu reportedly threatened Governor Aiyedatiwa that she had President Bola Tinubu’s backing and that they could throw the governor out of office.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Ondo State Government fixed February 23 and 24 for the burial of the late governor, Akeredolu.
Governor Aiyedatiwa had fixed the dates on Monday after a state cabinet meeting which did not go without ripples over the omission of certain names from the burial planning committee.
SaharaReporters had reported that the SSG, Odu, fumed as her name was not included in the committee for the burial of the late former governor.
Insiders at the meeting told SaharaReporters: “The Secretary to the Ondo State Government, Odu engaged in a shouting match with Governor Ayedatiwa. Odu was one of those who held the state to ransom before Governor Akeredolu died. She threatened the governor (Aiyedatiwa) that he would see the consequences if he threw her out of his office."
“The Secretary who Tinubu ordered Aiyedatiwa to retain came barrelling down on the governor during a meeting yesterday. Using Akeredolu and his family to perpetuate and perpetrate scams while denying Aiyedatiwa the right to breathe then as an acting governor,” a source said.
“She told the governor that he’s an impostor and can’t do anything to her because President Tinubu is behind her to check him (Aiyedatiwa)."
SaharaReporters reported on January 5 that the body of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Akeredolu, had arrived in Nigeria from Germany.
According to a post on the X handle of the late governor’s spokesperson, Richard Olatunde, the plane conveying the body arrived at about 3:39 p.m. on Friday, January 5, 2024.
The late Governor’s remains were brought into the country from Germany, where he passed away.
The body was received by his wife, Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, his children, and siblings led by Prof. Wole Akeredolu, the immediate younger brother of the deceased.
SaharaReporters had reported that the governors from the six states of the Southwest region of Nigeria including, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, and Ekiti under the aegis of South-West Governors Forum, said they would be collaborating with Aiyedatiwa and the family of Akeredolu, to give the ex-governor a befitting burial.
The governors through Governor Dapo Abiodun who led three other South-West governors on a condolence visit to the family of the late Governor Akeredolu at their Jericho, Ibadan residence said that the Forum had communicated the same message to the family of the late governor.
The governors said that a joint committee would be set up to achieve their objective.
Those in attendance during the condolence visit included Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti and Oyo State deputy governor, Bayo Lawal, who represented Governor Seyi Makinde.