Ondo government denies claims deputy governor lives in hotels due to power tussle fears.
Spokesman says lodge was under renovation, dismisses report as false and politically motivated.
The Ondo State Government has refuted a media report alleging that Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami has been denied access to his official residence and has been staying in hotels since assuming office in February 2024.
An online platform had reported that the deputy governor had lodged in at least four poorly maintained hotels in the Ijapo and Alagbaka areas of Akure. The report further claimed that over ₦130 million had been spent on accommodation for Dr. Adelami and his aides, citing unnamed sources. It also alleged that he was deliberately kept out of both the deputy governor’s lodge and a renovated VIP lodge in the Government House due to fears of a potential power tussle with Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
Reacting swiftly, the deputy governor’s press secretary, John Akinduro, described the publication as “blatant falsehood” and accused the platform of engaging in “yellow journalism and crass reportage.”
“For the sake of well-meaning residents and lovers of Ondo State, Dr. Adelami and his boss share an abiding bond and mutual respect,” Akinduro said, adding that “these lies only exist in the imagination of anti-democratic elements.”
He explained that renovation works were ordered by Governor Aiyedatiwa on the deputy governor’s lodge immediately after Adelami assumed office. According to him, the renovation is now complete, and the facility is ready for use.
Akinduro stressed that Dr. Adelami consistently speaks highly of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s “unwavering commitment to democratic ideals,” both in public engagements and private discussions.
The statement called on political actors and commentators to avoid divisive narratives and instead work with the administration to achieve its vision for the state.
“Political actors and commentators should eschew bitterness and join hands with the forward-thinking government of His Excellency Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a man helped by God to actualize the Ondo State of our dreams,” the statement concluded.
