BOLU-OLU ESHO
In 2012, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) welcomed a political new entrant into its political fold, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, a former President of Nigeria Bar Association(NBA) between 2008 and 2009.
He was said to be the favourite of the now President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the governorship ticket of the party.
Akeredolu was eventually picked as the consensus candidate of the party in the primary in which some members of the party showed interest including Segun Abraham, Tayo Alasoadura, Saka Lawal, Olusola Iji, Wale Akinterinwa, Jamiu Akungba and Tunji Abayomi.
The Attorney General of Ondo State in 1998 contested against Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Olusola Oke and Olusegun Mimiko of Labour Party(LP).
Akeredolu lost the gubernatorial election to Dr. Mimiko of Labour Party who ran for the second term in office.
In 2016, he staged a comeback and eventually emerged winner of the election on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Having run the state for four years, Akeredolu was pressured by his political associates to go for second term, which he was not disposed to.
He eventually won in 15 local government areas of the state while Eyitayo Jegede of Peoples Democratic Party won the remaining three local government areas.
Jegede headed to court, arguing that the Yobe State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari conducted the primary which produced Akeredolu as the party’s candidate as the acting national chairman of APC contrary to the provision of party’s constitution which says a member could not occupy two offices at the same time.
But the Supreme Court miraculously upheld Akeredolu’s election on grounds that the applicant failed to join Yari, who was the sitting governor of Yobe State in the suit.
Shortly after his victory at the apex court, on April 1, 2021, he commenced medical leave and ever since, he had been visiting Germany annually until 2023 when the trips became more often.
The ailment was not disclosed to the people until Wednesday after his death as a protracted cancer.
Akeredolu was a rebel in his approach to policies and governance. He criticise the government formed by his party, APC, at the federal level.
He was seen as a mouthpiece of the downtrodden, particularly when citizens were afraid of challenging the government of President Mohammadu Buhari on his silence on the attacks of innocent citizens by some bandits masquerading as Fulani herdsmen across the nation.
That’s daring is an understatement, he, as the Chairman, South-West Governors’ Forum (SGF), mustered other governors in the region and established a military formation, South-West Security Network (SWSN) codenamed Amotekun Corps, to tackle the Fulani herdsmen who were already penetrating and terrorising the South-West region.
He called the bluff of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and other strong voices from the presidency and the northern region who were averse to the creation of the formation.
Akeredolu fortified and backed up the formation with an Act of legislation to operate in the region.
When there was much outcry that the formation was a ploy to form a military formation for the South-West region with a ploy to secede from the federation, the formation was decentralised but remains strong in all states of the region
This action by Akeredolu was seen as an affront by some politicians, but he damned the consequences.
Today, the South-West region is enjoying peace as Amotekun has made the region unconducive for these criminals who were killing, maiming, raping and kidnaping people in exchange for huge ransom.
As unrepentant human rights crusader, when the government of former President Mohammadu Buhari was running to an end, he championed the call for a South-South person to succeed Buhari.
His voice contributed to the failure of People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the poll.
Despite his strained relationship with Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the APC presidential primary, he canvassed support for him and pleaded with other aspirants in the party to back down from the contest and join forces with Tinubu.
When the fuel subsidy removal began to take tolls on the citizens, many were worried because Akeredolu didn’t speak on the pain people were faced with.
That was when it became obvious that the voice of the people has gone husky and could not be heard.
It became a national discourse that if he had been medically sound, he would have called Tinubu to order.
His ailment changed the political narrative in Ondo State as political gladiators and some appointees who are not politicians took advantage of the situation to pursue their parochial interest.
At the center of the controversy there were his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and some members of the State Executive Council claiming to be loyal to the governor.
The state was held in the jugular as there were moves to impeach the deputy governor to pave way for a candidate of the cabal to succeed the ailing governor in office.
At a point, the state was without a leader as no could say precisely who was in charge of the state affairs.
The office of the governor was left in abeyance as power was not transmitted to the deputy even when it was obvious that the governor could not return to the state to take control of the state.
Ultimately, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brokered a truce and asked the political gladiators to transmit power to the deputy governor in acting capacity.
This was not followed until when the President threatened to follow the constitution which would inform declaration of Akeredolu as incapacitated.
An e-signed letter transmitting power to the deputy governor eventually was revived by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji and on December 13, 2023, power was transmitted to the deputy governor in acting capacity.
Akeredolu also informed the Assembly he was embarking on medical trip on December 13, 2023 for check-up.
The announcement of his death came on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.
Akeredolu was a delight to listen to as he throws jibes at virtually every occasion. He sings Palm Wine Drinkers Club tunes which usually throw his listeners into hysterical laughter.
He’s fond of making philosophical statements particularly about life. He on several occasions spoke on the desire to amass wealth by public officeholders. He would quote the Holy Bible, saying the fool amasses wealth which he does not know who will enjoy it
He’s too blunt to be a politician especially in Nigeria terrain.
No doubt he made his mistakes politically like any other human being.
Appointing his son as a member of the State Executive Council in the wake of his second term in office was described as an aberration and abuse of office.
Many politicians and critics were also not happy with him for turning the state to a family affair as his wife was seen to be in charge and dictated what happened in the state, particularly in terms of appointments of public officeholders.
The last straw that breaks the camel’s back was his supposedly move to get his deputy impeached immediately he returned from his medical leave on September 7, 2023 on grounds of disloyalty.
But many had defended him to be unaware of the impeachment brouhaha and that he was deceived to return prematurely from the medical leave on order of the cabal to pursue their inordinate ambition.
Now the game is over, this is an eclipse of the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu political dynasty in Ondo State.
He was loved by some people and hated by some, but they don’t matter to him anymore as he no longer
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