Folarin Kehinde

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has expresses sadness over the deaths of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba.

This was contained in a press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula.

According to the statement, Alia described Akeredolu as a gentleman who, as governor, gave his all in trying to change the fortunes of his state.

He urged the people of Ondo to take solace in the fact that Akeredolu lived an exemplary and purposeful life with remarkable achievements as a public servant, administrator, lawyer and a dedicated family man.

Alia further described the deaths of the duo as a great loss, saying the lives they touched and their various contributions towards the development of the country will be greatly missed, not only by the people of Ondo and Kano states, but by the entire nation.

“Their passage constitutes a big blow to the people of Nigeria whose lives they touched in their eventful lives which they devoted to public service,” he said.

He prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest and their immediate families the fortitude to bear the losses.

Following the death of the governor of Ondo state, Rotimi Akeredolu on Wednesday, December 27, there is an indication that the acting governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa would be sworn in as the substantive governor of the Sunshine State by 4 pm today.

The Nation had earlier reported that Akeredolu died at 67 years old after battling a prolonged ailment.

Akeredolu had returned to Nigeria in September following a three-month medical leave in Germany.

On December 13, he went on another medical leave after being directed by President Bola Tinubu to hand over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The medical leave was a follow-up to a previous medical treatment.

The Ondo State Government has revealed the cause of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s death.

The state government also announced that the governor died in Germany.

LEADING REPORTERS reports that Akeredolu died on Wednesday, 27 December, 2023, at 67.

It was widely reported that the governor died after a long battle with cancer of the blood, leukemia.

However, Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, in a statement issued on Wednesday, explained how the governor died.

He said; “Akeredolu answered the eternal call while receiving medical treatment in Germany. He succumbed to complications arising from protracted prostate cancer.

“The family and the state government will release further details regarding his funeral arrangements.”

The Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, died in Lagos on Wednesday, December 27.

He was 67 years old.

It was gathered that State House doctors managed him up to his death because they could not fly him abroad.

One of the commissioners in Ondo state who pleaded anonymity confirmed Akeredolu’s death to The Nation.

A reliable source said: “Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos. They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”

Akeredolu had returned to Nigeria in September following a three-month medical leave in Germany.

On December 13, he went on another medical leave after being directed by President Bola Tinubu to hand over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

The medical leave was a follow-up to a previous medical treatment.

1. Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu CON SAN was born on July 21, 1956, in Owo to Reverend J. Ola Akeredolu of the Akeredolu family and Lady Evangelist Grace B. Akeredolu of Aderoyiju family of Igbotu, Ese Odo, in Ondo State.
2. Akeredolu started his primary education at a government school in Owo. He proceeded to Aquinas College, Akure, Loyola College, Ibadan, and a comprehensive high school, Ayetoro, for his secondary school education and Higher School Certificate, respectively.
3. His middle name Odunayo means “Year of happiness” in Yoruba.
4. He went on to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study law and graduated in 1977.
5. He was a Nigerian lawyer and politician.
6. He assumed office as Ondo governor on February 24, 2017.
7. He reportedly died of leukemia.
8. His adopted prefix is “Arakunrin”, while his nickname is “Aketi”.
9. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who became president of the Nigerian Bar Association in 2008.
10. Akeredolu was also a Managing Partner at the law firm of Olujinmi & Akeredolu, which he co-founded with Chief Akin Olujinmi, a former Attorney General and Minister for Justice of Nigeria.
11. He was the chairman of Southwest Governors.
12. He was referred to as the Nigerian Bar 1978.
13. Akeredolu was appointed Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997 to 1999.
14. In 1998, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He was Chairman of the Legal Aid Council (2005–2006).
15. In November 2009, he faced allegations of corruption when the Bar Association’s third Vice-President, Welfare Secretary, and Assistant Financial Secretary circulated a petition entitled “Complaints against your fraudulent manifestations, violation of the NBA”.
16. Subsequently, the allegations against him were reviewed and dropped by the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association.
17. In November 2011, Akeredolu was among a crowd of aspirants to be the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for governor of Ondo State in the 2012 elections.
18. On 28 July 2012, Akeredolu was selected as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for governor of Ondo State during the ACN congress in Akure.
19. His selection pitched him in a head-to-head battle with the incumbent, Olusegun Mimiko, and Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
20. Akeredolu promised to create 30,000 jobs in his first 100 days in office.
21. His promise nonetheless resulted in the submission of over 10,000 CVs to his campaign office.
22. Akeredolu was awarded the ticket to represent the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2016 elections for governor. On Sunday, 27 November 2016, he won the keenly contested 2016 Ondo State gubernatorial election.
23. On Sunday, 27 November 2016, Akeredolu was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election.
24. He amassed 244,842 votes in the election to defeat Eyitayo Jegede with 150,380 votes and Olusola Oke with 126,889 votes. According to Professor Ganiyu Ambali, INEC Returning Officer, Akeredolu defeated two major opponents, Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), to clinch victory. He was sworn in as the governor of Ondo State on 24 February 2017 in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
25. On 21 July 2020, he was declared the Ondo governorship candidate after the primary elections under the platform of the APC, for a second term.
26. The 2020 Ondo State gubernatorial election was held on 10 October 2020.
27. Akeredolu won re-election for a second term, defeating PDP Eyitayo Jegede, ZLP Agboola Ajayi, and several minor party candidates.

A source in the Ondo Government House, Akure, has confirmed the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Akeredolu was diagnosed with blood cancer (leukaemia) and has been battling with the health challenge.

The sickness caused him to embark on a medical trip to Germany before returning in July to Ibadan, Oyo State, where he continued his treatments.

However, he embarked on another trip in December after his health degenerated and handed over to his deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“Our governor is dead! We are mourning secretly here in the government house. They are still keeping the news, but we are mourning here. The death of Akeredolu is a big blow to us.

“The family members have communicated with some of our bosses here, too, but we don’t know the next line of action,” the source told The Whistler on Wednesday.

The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has passed on after a prolong battle with Leukemia.

Akeredolu reportedly died in Lagos on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.

He was 67 years old.

It was gathered that Akeredolu was being managed by State House doctors up to his death as they could not fly him abroad due to his condition.

“Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos,” the source said.

They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”

Akeredolu had returned home after controversy begin trailing his extended medical vacation in Germany.

He then returned to his Ibadan residence, a move that led to further political crisis in his state especially with the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa

After President Tinubu’s intervention, Akeredolu then handed over power to his deputy and proceeded on another medical vacation.

Over 20 persons have been killed following an explosion from a vandalised oil pipeline in Omoku, Ogba/Egebema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred after the youths allegedly broke a pipeline belonging to one of the multinational oil firms operating in the areas.

They were allegedly using jerrycans and buckets to scoop fuel when the tragedy struck with many burnt beyond recognition.

“I was learnt that many persons suffered varying degrees of burns and were receiving treatment in different hospitals in the area,” an eyewitness told journalists.

“It was a very terrible incident. Imagine the death of 20 people in such a time. We leant some youths bust a company pipeline.

“If you go to the General Hospital and other private clinics in Omoku, you will see many of the injured people scattered all over the place in both government and private hospitals taking treatment,” he said.

Another source said inferno occurred as a result of attempts by suspected oil thieves to light mosquito coils.

“The leakage was from an obsolete pipeline belonging to one of the oil companies operating in the area,” he told DailyTrust.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday condemned the brutal attacks in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi local government areas, LGAs, of Plateau State, where over 115 persons were killed by bandits.

LEADING REPORTERS recalls that the gunmen had on Christmas Eve invaded the local councils, killed at least 115 villagers and burnt down 17 communities.

The state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who confirmed the number of casualties and the level of destruction in the attack in an interview on Tuesday, said scores of residents are still missing.

Tinubu reacted to the attack in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The statement said Tinubu has directed security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits.

The President also directed the immediate mobilisation of relief resources for surviving victims of the attacks as well as medical treatment for the wounded.

While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau, the President assured Nigerians that “the envoys of death, pain, and sorrow would not escape justice”.