Tension in Ondo as Governor Aiyedatiwa locks out Deputy from Gov’t House Lodge

A significant power struggle has emerged in Ondo State, as Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has reportedly restricted his deputy, Chief Olayide Adelami, from utilizing the official Deputy Governor’s Lodge within the Government House.

Since assuming office in February 2024, Adelami has allegedly been compelled to reside in various substandard hotels in Akure. Government records indicate expenditures exceeding ₦130 million for his accommodation and that of his aides up to February 2025.

Sources within the administration suggest that this exclusion is a deliberate action, motivated by concerns regarding a potential political rivalry between the governor and his deputy. One source noted, “There is a fully renovated VIP lodge within the Government House; however, access has been denied to Adelami.”

It has been reported that the Commissioner for Finance, Omowunmi Isaac, exerts significant influence over the governor’s decisions.

A source stated, “The governor predominantly adheres to the counsel of the Commissioner of Finance, Omowunmi Isaac. Her influence in his administration is substantial; the nature of their relationship remains unclear.”

Adelami’s current situation mirrors that of Aiyedatiwa during his tenure as deputy governor under the late Rotimi Akeredolu, where he experienced a similar marginalization amid a contentious political dispute in 2023.

This conflict resulted in the state legislature, loyal to the then-governor, initiating impeachment proceedings, which were ultimately averted by intervention from President Bola Tinubu.

Even while incapacitated, Akeredolu managed state affairs from abroad, unwilling to transfer power until he eventually did so prior to his death in December 2023.

Adelami, a former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and a past aspirant for the APC governorship, was nominated by Aiyedatiwa in January 2024 and officially sworn in the subsequent month.