Lucky Aiyedatiwa will be sworn in as the substantive governor of Ondo State any moment from now following the news of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s death at the age of 67.
A family source confirmed to SaharaReporters that Akeredolu died in Lagos on Wednesday, adding that he couldn’t be flown abroad for treatment due to his condition.
“Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos,” the source revealed. “They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”
Akeredolu’s health had been a source of public concern for some time. He returned to Nigeria in September after a three-month medical leave in Germany, but only recently stepped down again, handing over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, following instructions from President Bola Tinubu.
His recent attempt to govern remotely from Ibadan, Oyo State, after returning from Germany, met with public criticism and calls for his full recovery or resignation.
Akeredolu’s deputy, Aiyedatiwa, who has been acting governor for about two weeks, will be sworn in as governor as required by law.
Read also: Ondo Governor, Akeredolu dies at 67
Section 191(1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, states, “The Deputy Governor of a State shall hold the office of Governor of the State if the office of Governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity, or removal of the governor from office for any other reason in accordance with sections 188 or 189 of this constitution.”
Akeredolu, a lawyer and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was elected Governor of Ondo State in 2016 and re-elected for a second term in 2020. He was known for his outspokenness and advocacy for restructuring, as well as his fight against illegal mining and open grazing in the state and southern Nigeria.
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