Chief Olayide Adelami was never a sworn enemy of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
John Paul Akinduro, Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor made the clarification in a statement on Friday.
A member of the House of Representatives representing Akure south and Akure north federal constituency, Hon. Derin Adesida had alongside four other members of the green chamber alleged Chief Adelami of being an enemy of Akeredolu in a petition letter they wrote to President Bola Tinubu.
In the letter, the APC lawmakers disclosed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is planning to destroy the APC with appointments of Akeredolu’s known enemies in key positions. They claimed the new deputy Governor, an Owo man, was picked by Aiyedatiwa even though, he was Akeredolu’s sworn enemy.
The office of the deputy Governor in the statement of reaction on Friday added that Chief Adelami not only supported Akeredolu’s second term bid even after losing in the primaries, but he donated his campaign office to the late Governor’s team.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this concocted and malicious statement is not only untrue in its entirety but a mischief by these ‘honourables’.
“Chief Adelami was never an enemy of the late governor nor any other political player in Ondo state or elsewhere. The Deputy Governor is a decent politician and philanthropist with verifiable track records.
“It is instructive to note that Chief Adelami has always been a strong member of the APC and staunch supporter and dependable ally of late Governor Akeredolu for eons.
“Worthy of mention is the fact that the deputy governor gave moral, political and financial support to the late governor during the electioneering campaigns, leading to his first and second terms in office and, subsequently rendered same support all through his tenure as governor of Ondo state.
“It is also remarkable that after losing the governorship primaries to late Arakunrin Akeredolu, SAN in 2020, Chief Adelami joined the campaign train and walked alongside with the late governor as he moved round the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo state. Clearly, this cannot be the same Adelami and Akeredolu the misleading statement described as ‘they did not see eye to eye’
“On record, was the donation of 5,000 copies of the APC constitution to the party, branding of Face caps and T-shirts with the inscription ‘Adelami Support Group for Aketi’, among many other items, which were received by the party chieftains, led by the State Chairman, Engr Ade Adetimehin, to support the re-election campaign of the late governor in 2020.
“Also on ground to witness the handing over of these items were the late Governor, his then running mate, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan, Ambassador Sola Iji, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde (Abena), Chief Gbenga Ale and Hon. Timehin Adelegbe, whose signature also appeared in the published caucus letter.
“These facts are well established and available in the public domain as evident by one of the press releases authored by the Late Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Richard Olatunde, on September 16, 2020, titled ‘ONDO 2020: ADELAMI HANDS OVER CAMPAIGN OFFICE, STRUCTURE TO GOVERNOR AKEREDOLU’ with the rider, ‘No Vacancy in Alagbaka, Our Unity Unprecedented in the History of Political Parties – Gov Akeredolu’,” the statement read.
The statement added that since the Governorship election in the State draws near, more allegations would surfaced from different quarters. It urged members of the public to disregard such allegations in its entirety.
“However, as the governorship election draws nigh, it is not uncommon to experience this type of political tendency and pull-him-down syndrome by some detractors, who are threatened by the combination of Governor Aiyedatiwa and his Deputy, Chief Adelami, to pilot the affairs of the sunshine state.
“We urge the good people of Ondo state and fellow Nigerians to continue to support the APC-led, forward-thinking government of His Excellency, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa. So that Ondo state will continue to flourish.”
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