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Ondo State Governor Akeredolu dies at 67

The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has passed away at the age of 67 after an extended struggle with leukaemia.

The ailing governor who died on Wednesday had been under the care of State House doctors until his demise, unable to seek medical treatment abroad due to the severity of his condition.

The Ondo state governor began his medical leave on December 13, 2023, as part of his ongoing treatment, according to Richard Olatunde, the chief press secretary.

In his absence, Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa assumed the role of acting governor, leading to tensions between the governor’s loyalists and the deputy.

Backstory

Akeredolu, absent from Ondo since June 2023, reportedly received further treatment in Ibadan, Oyo state, while overseeing state affairs from there.

The governor’s press secretary emphasized Akeredolu’s commitment to prioritizing his health and ensuring a full recovery before resuming his gubernatorial duties.

Akeredolu, who returned to Nigeria in September after a three-month medical leave in Germany, has been operating from Ibadan, prompting concerns among stakeholders and sparking a political crisis addressed by President Bola Tinubu.

He was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

His tenure as governor followed re-election as the state governor in October 2020 and was sworn in for a second term in office in February 2021.

More about Rotimi Akeredolu

Rotimi Akeredolu was born on July 21, 1956, in Owo. He attended Aquinas College, Akure, Loyola College, Ibadan, and Ayetoro High School, he later bagged a law degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), graduating in 1977 and called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978.

Akeredolu served as the Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999 and earned the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1998. Accused of corruption in 2009, the allegations were reviewed and dismissed by the Nigerian Bar Association. He emphasized the need for Nigerians to secure fair elections in a 2009 lecture.

The Nigerian Bar Association named its Abuja secretariat after Akeredolu in 2012, citing his significant contributions. In 2022, he was awarded the Grand Patron of the NDLEA.

Akeredolu contested the Ondo State governorship under the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2012. He secured the APC ticket in a controversial 2016 primary and emerged victorious in the 2016 Ondo State gubernatorial election on November 27, 2016.