Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ondo State, has declared that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu would not quit owing to health difficulties since he is not disabled.
In an interview with Arise TV, the commissioner stressed that, despite not attending social functions, Governor Akeredolu continues to execute his obligations.
She verified that he has been doing official tasks, reading documents, and communicating with his cabinet.
The governor’s health has become a matter of public concern, especially since he has been staying in Ibadan, Oyo State, after returning from a medical trip to Germany in September 2023.
When questioned about why Akeredolu, a senior advocate of Nigeria, has not thought about resigning from his position, similar to how he, as the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, urged President Umaru Yar’Adua to resign due to his health, the commissioner maintained that the governor was not incapacitated and did not need to resign.
She noted, “The governor is not incapacitated; I still maintain that. He would have easily done the needful. The governor still gives approvals. No issue, other than the heightened political issues.”
Speaking further on why the State Executive Council has not declared the governor unable in accordance with Section 189 (1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), she stated that the governor was not disabled and that the executive council had no such plan.
She added, “Unless the governor is incapacitated, there is no reason to evaluate his health.”
The section reads, “The governor or deputy governor of a state shall cease to hold office if (a) by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of all members of the executive council of the State, it is declared that the governor or deputy governor is incapable of discharging the functions of his office.”
When asked why he had remained in Ibadan if truly he wasn’t incapacitated, the commissioner explained, “The governor is still recuperating after having gone through a very bad illness. I can’t come here and lie, I know Nigerians are watching, that the governor can run and play tennis. That is not true.
“The governor is still recuperating. His psychomotor, affective, and cognitive skills are still intact, but he’s not as strong as he was in the past.”
Asked about the nature of the governor’s illness, Ademola-Olateju stated, “It’s not a very good illness; I think it’s a somatic problem (related to the body, especially as distinct from the mind). He has lost some weight, and he once told us that after 40, nobody is well.”
She blamed the state’s increased political tension on the ambition of the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, while praising the state’s people for their support for the governor and his government.
