Akeredolu moves against deputy gov, sacks media aides

On Tuesday, Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu took action against his deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa, for the dismissal of his media aides.

There appears to be some tension between the governor and his deputy, which prompted the governor to take this step.

The affected aides were told to turn over any government property they were in possession of to the acting Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, according to a statement released by the governor’s chief press secretary, Richard Olatunde.

Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, the governor’s press secretary; Oladipupo Okunniga, the governor’s special assistant for new media; and Abayomi Adefolalu, the governor’s special assistant for photography, are among the impacted staff members.

Paragraphs from the announcement read as follows: “Similarly, the press team connected to the office of the deputy governor has been disbanded. As a result, the whole press corps must immediately return to their respective departments and outlets.

In a similar vein, “the Ministry of Information and Orientation is directed to provide adequate coverage for the activities of the deputy governor’s office going forward.”

Akeredolu and Ayedatiwa’s deteriorating relationship is on full display with the dismissal of the media assistants.

Reports reportedly manufactured against the governor prompted the decision to fire Ayedatiwa’s media advisers, say insiders.

During Akeredolu’s medical leave in Germany, one anonymous source who talked with the media said that the deputy governor’s media staff had stoked controversy involving both men.