Men that drop out of Akeredolu’s First Term Race

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state was sworn in on 24th February, 2017 and had led the state in the last four years with continuation of his second term, beginning on 24th ,February, 2021.

It should be noted that it took Akeredolu six months before he set up his state executive council to run the government with him in his first term.

ROVING REPORTERS highlights appointees that started the first term with Akeredolu but could not make it till the end before the dissolution of the state executive council in February 18, 2021.

IFEDAYO ABEGUNDE

Ifedayo Abegunde was appointed as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). He was in the government till the build up to the governorship election in October  2020.

His resignation ignited political heats and was trailed with controversies.

Abegunde was replaced by his kinsman, Temitayo Oluwatuyi.

KOLA OLAWOYE SAN

News broke out in November 23rd ,2020 that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, sacked the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,Mr Kola Olawoye SAN.

it was gathered that the sack of the former commissioner was not unconnected with an alleged cold war between him and the governor.

He was replaced by Charles Titiloye.

TAOFEEK ABDULSALAM

The former speaker, Taofeek Abdusalam was appointed by Akeredolu as commissioner for works and infrastructure.

He later pitched his tenth with the embattled  and outgoing deputy governor ,Agboola Ajayi who left APC for PDP and later ZLP.

He was sacked by Akeredolu and replaced with Saka Ogunleye.

Abdulsalam has however returned to APC during the present APC registration exercise.

SOLAGBADE AMODENI

Prince Solagbade Amodeni was appointed as the commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development but was sacked by Akeredolu in June 2019, ahead of Ondo governorship election.

He was among three commissioners sacked the same day.  The sacked commissioners were alleged to be hobnobbing with some governorship aspirants of the party seeking to oust Akeredolu in the 2020 election and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, within and outside the state.

It was alleged that they had a political meeting with leaders of the party who are not on the same page with Akeredolu’s second term ambition.

ISMAILA OLURIMISI

Alhaji Ismaila Olurimisi was appointed as the commissioner for  Culture and Tourism.He was sacked by Akeredolu alongside two others.
He was replaced with Yemi Olowolabi who was also removed from information ministry.

WAHAB ADEGBENRO

Dr Wahab Adegbenro was among the first set of commissioners sworn in by Akeredolu and was in charge of the ministry of health before he died on Thursday 2 July 2020.

Adegbenro was rushed to the Federal Medical centre in Owo after contracting coronavirus. He was said to have suffered from diabetes prior to contracting COVID-19.

Upon his demise, the Ondo State Government declared Friday 3 July 2020 a work-free day and also directed all flags in the state to fly at half mast for seven days to mourn his passing.

He was buried on Friday 3 July 2020 at Ilara-mokin, Ondo State.

Adegbenro was replaced by an acting commissioner for health, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye before the dissolution of state cabinet.

BAYONLE ADEMODI

Professor Bayonle Ademodi was appointed as a commissioner for Regional Integration.

Professor Bayonle Ademodi is dead. He died on Saturday , December 19, 2020 after battling a protracted disease.

It was learnt that Professor Ademodi, a renowned chemical engineer, had been sick for the past six months before his death.

BANJI ADEWUMI

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu sacked Mr Banji Adewumi, his Special Assistant on Youths and Students Affairs, for dereliction of duty in 2020.

Adewumi was relieved of his appointment because he abandoned his responsibilities for some months now, and that he is no longer resident in the country.

ANDREW OGUNSAKIN

THE Senior Special Assistant SSA to governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Political Matters in the Southern Senatorial districts, Hon Andrew Ogunsakin resigned his appointment from the state government.

His resignation came barely 23 days to the governorship election in the state, in 2020 and later defected to the Zenith Labour party.

The former SSA in his letter dated 18th September, 2020 to the governor said “the call of my constituents on me to join the train to actualise a common aspiration different from what is offered by your government and your party stands at the root of my decision to quit at this point. ”

AUGUSTINE PELEMO

In 2019, Akeredolu sacked his Special Assistant on Political Matters, Augustine Pelemo over a Facebook comment.

Pelemo who was attached to the office of the outgoing deputy governor,Agboola Ajayi, posted a comment alleged to be offensive to Akeredolu on his Facebook wall.

The aide in his comments while wishing the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Ajewole Agboola, happy birthday,described her as the “Acting First Lady.”

The post read: “Happy Birthday to the Acting First Lady of Ondo State, Chief Mrs. Ajewole Agboola Ajayi. Long may you live ma.”

KHALEEL FAWEHINMI

Alhaji Khaleel Fawehinmi  was the Chairman of the Ondo State Muslim Welfare Board. He passed on in December 11, 2020.

A native of Ondo town, Alhaji Fawehinmi died in the United States of America during a brief illness.
Aged 71, Fawehinmi was a businessman and technocrat.

TOSIN OGUNBODEDE

The Chief of Protocol (CoP), of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Tosin Ogunbodede, died in January 2, 2021.

The incident happened a few weeks after the death of the Prof. Bayonle Ademodi.

Ogunbodede died in an accident while returning from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He and his driver died when their Toyota Corola car rammed into a trailer on Ilesa-Akure road.

About Author

Admin

See author's posts