Doyin Odebowale, the Special Adviser on Special Duty and Strategy to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, has explained that his principal is currently not working from the state capital, Akure, due to accommodation challenges.
Governor Akeredolu has been absent from the state since returning from a medical trip abroad. While he conducts his official duties from Ibadan, Oyo State, this decision has generated concern in Ondo State, particularly from the youth wing of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who issued an ultimatum for the governor's return.
In a recent appearance on Channels TV's Politics Today, Odebowale clarified that Governor Akeredolu's state of health requires better living conditions to effectively manage the affairs of the South-West state.
He went on to explain that the governor had been managing in a two-bedroom apartment for six years, but due to his current health condition, a more suitable place is being prepared for him.
“Aketi came back in September. Where he used to stay – the Presidential Lodge built for the visiting president at that time Olusegun Obasanjo – is a two-bedroom apartment,” he said on the show.
“Now, he is back. He cannot occupy that place again. The Old Governor’s Office – the Governor’s Lodge built by the previous administration is now the office of the investment outlet called the ODIPA. That’s the office,” the governor’s aide added.
“So, the governor has been managing a two-bedroom apartment for six years. But his current state of health would not permit him to pretend that all is well. He would need all the things for him to recover properly. That’s why the new place that is being arranged for him is almost completed.”
Odebowale questioned the criticism of his principal's absence, highlighting that governance in Ondo State has been proceeding smoothly, even with Governor Akeredolu not physically present.
Odebowale also suggested that the recent concerns about the governor's absence reflect internal opposition and criticism, even within his own family.
