Ondo State Governor Faces Multiple Political Crises Amid Violence and Impeachment Rumors
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confronts mounting challenges including deadly APC ward congress violence that claimed four lives, boundary disputes with Ogun State, and rumors of internal party rifts, prompting presidential intervention.
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Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa finds himself navigating a complex web of political crises that have thrust Nigeria's southwestern state into the national spotlight, with President Bola Tinubu directly intervening in matters ranging from deadly party violence to interstate boundary disputes.
The most serious development came when Tinubu summoned Aiyedatiwa to Abuja following violence during the All Progressive Congress (APC) ward congress in Idanre that resulted in four deaths. According to Vanguard News, the president expressed deep concern over the escalation of political tensions within the ruling party's grassroots structures in the state.
The violence has exposed deep fissures within Ondo's APC chapter. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, a former commissioner and Director General of the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu, told The Nation Newspaper that he and his supporters "narrowly escaped attack by thugs" during the congress. Yusuf-Ogunleye's account suggests organized violence targeting specific party factions, though the state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers denied involvement in the violent incidents.
Deputy Governor Impeachment Speculation
Adding to Aiyedatiwa's challenges, rumors of an impeachment plot against his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, have circulated through political circles. The governor moved swiftly to quash these speculations, describing them as baseless and affirming his deputy's loyalty. "His deputy is loyal, denies any rift," The Nation Newspaper reported, citing the governor's statement dismissing the alleged plot.
The impeachment rumors come at a particularly sensitive time for Aiyedatiwa, who himself ascended to the governorship following the death of his predecessor, Rotimi Akeredolu, in December 2023. His tenure has been marked by efforts to consolidate power within the APC structure, making internal party cohesion critical to his political survival ahead of future electoral contests.
Political analysts suggest the simultaneous emergence of multiple crises may indicate deeper struggles for control within Ondo's political establishment. The violence during the ward congress, which represents the foundational level of party organization, suggests that competition for influence extends far beyond the state executive level.
Interstate Boundary Dispute Escalates
Beyond internal party matters, Aiyedatiwa has appealed directly to President Tinubu to resolve a lingering boundary dispute with neighboring Ogun State. The Nation Newspaper reported that the governor declared "Eba Island remains historically" part of Ondo State, requesting urgent presidential intervention in the matter.
Boundary disputes between Nigerian states frequently involve control over resource-rich areas, fishing rights, and tax revenue. The Ondo-Ogun disagreement represents one of several unresolved territorial questions that periodically strain relations between states in Nigeria's southwest region. The governor's decision to escalate the matter to the presidency indicates that state-level negotiations have reached an impasse.
Interstate boundary commissions established by federal law typically handle such disputes, but political considerations often require executive intervention. Tinubu, who served as governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, maintains strong political ties throughout the southwest and may be positioned to broker a resolution.
Legal Matters and Political Accountability
In a separate development highlighting the intersection of governance and legal accountability, an Akure magistrate court struck out an assault charge against Dr. Seun Osamaye, Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development. Vanguard News reported the dismissal without providing details on the grounds for the court's decision.
The assault case's dismissal removes one potential source of embarrassment for the Aiyedatiwa administration, though opposition parties may seize on the multiple controversies to question the governor's leadership. The convergence of violent party politics, impeachment rumors, interstate disputes, and assault allegations within a brief timeframe presents significant political risk.
As Aiyedatiwa responds to the presidential summons regarding the ward congress killings, his ability to restore order within party ranks while managing external pressures will prove crucial. The APC's internal stability in Ondo State carries implications beyond the state's borders, given the party's dominance in southwestern Nigeria and its importance to Tinubu's political coalition.
Security agencies have yet to announce arrests in connection with the Idanre killings, and whether accountability will be enforced remains uncertain. The outcome of these overlapping crises will likely shape Ondo's political landscape and test the limits of gubernatorial authority in managing party discipline while maintaining public order.