Ondo State Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said there is no rift between him and his boss, the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Aiyedatiwa said stories circulated on social media by some faceless individuals and groups are aimed at denting his reputation.
The Deputy Governor made this known in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, and made available to LEADERSHIP in Akure, the state capital on Tuesday.
Aiyedatiwa said, “The lies would have been ignored but owe it a duty to prevent the public from being deceived into believing the same falsehoods being repeated and recycled in different forms by those whose sole intention is to soil the image of the man who they see as a threat to their political interests.”
According to him, “These faceless individuals who have been hiding their identities because what they are putting out are pure fabrications, are being sponsored by those who are threatened by the profile of the Deputy Governor, his relationship with his boss, and the goodwill he enjoys with the people.”
He further stated that “there is a need to remind the public that this is a continuation of the blackmail started by these same characters some months ago, with false stories planted in some media outlets against the Deputy Governor. However, since those lies did not yield the result they envisaged, the blackmailers have returned with fake stories about disloyalty, aimed at causing disaffection between him and the Governor.
“Many stakeholders have commended the Deputy Governor for the way he handled State affairs while he was Acting Governor, despite all his detractors did to provoke him into taking drastic actions. He avoided their booby traps and they tripped on their banana peels.
“Against their expectations, the Deputy Governor was in constant touch with his principal on official State matters, so there was no gap between them.
“How can the man who was constantly in touch with his boss and had prepared for his arrival to attend to some other critical state matters, including the signing of the LCDA Law after passage by the State Assembly be surprised by that same arrival? Those behind the falsehoods being peddled around had planned that these concocted lies about disloyalty and impeachment would irritate Mr. Governor and his family to land a devastating blow on the Deputy Governor ahead of the coming governorship election in the State.
“Now that Mr. Governor is back and has started working, the Deputy Governor remains calm and committed to the duties of his office and unruffled by the lies of desperate politicians and their agents. The Deputy Governor remains loyal to his Principal and no amount of fabricated lies will change that.”
Aiyedatiwa, however, reiterated his loyalty to Governor Akeredolu, adding that “NOBODY has been hired or consulted by him to speak, write, and work against Mr. Governor.”