With the move by the Ondo State Government to launch a probe into the cause of death of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, stakeholders as well as residents of the state have expressed concerns over the development.
While cautioning the state government against proceeding with a coroner’s inquest over the former governor’s demise in 2023, stakeholders described the development as uncalled for.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, had disclosed that some concerned groups and citizens within and outside the state had submitted petitions to the Ministry of Justice seeking the invocation of a coroner’s inquest.
According to Ajulo, the petitioners, whose identities he did not disclose, alleged that the widow of late Akeredolu, Betty, and others were suspected of being behind the demise of the former governor.
Akeredolu died in December 2023 after succumbing to prostate cancer, which he battled for a while during his tenure as governor of the Sunshine State.
While advising Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa against the move for the sake of peace in the state, a former Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, described the government’s endorsement of the exhumation of the late Akeredolu’s body as unthinkable.
Adegoroye, who emphasised that those behind the petitions are mischievous, acknowledged that the state government has a responsibility to receive and act on any petition and advised the governor not to walk into the booby trap, which he said could dent his administration.
Also, a former Head of Service in the state, Ajose Kudehinbu, questioned the motive behind the coroner’s inquest, particularly that the cause of death of the late governor had never arisen at any point.
“The executive power in the state resides only in one person, the governor, nobody else, and he’s the one to give account at the end of the day, for the good times, for the bad times, to posterity! The executive power should neither be diluted nor shared for whatever reason.
“When I read the story about the plan to know how Aketi passed on, I knew this could not be true or could only have come from those who lacked regard for the peace and stability of the State in which the Governor is the highest stakeholder. As citizens or indigenes, we owe individual or collective responsibility, as a patriotic duty, to see our state on the path of progress.”
A legal practitioner, Sola Ajisafe, who stated that the inquest is unnecessary and may be divisive, emphasised that it is an affront to the memory of the late governor, particularly given its alleged sinister motives.
“The Owo community is known for its complex dynamics, and any actions that might exacerbate tensions should be avoided. I implore you to prioritise caution and consider the long-term implications of your decisions.
“It is without saying that the Attorney General revealed his hand by citing the inglorious and despicable action of the wife of the late governor on the demolition of the Cenotaph in Owo as the basis of his current actions without considering the bigger picture,” he said.
Ondo’s quest to probe Akeredolu’s death sparks controversy.
