•Exco adopts Abuja peace terms
•House withdraws suit against deputy governor
•Workers to get N35,000
Akeredolu and Ayedatiwa
Eric Ikhilae, Abuja
Top functionaries of the Ondo State Government, yesterday began the implementation of the peace deal brokered last week in Abuja by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Members of the State Executive Council adopted the terms of the agreement at their meeting in Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital, with a pledge to work for peace.
For the first time in three months, the Secretary to Government, commissioners, special advisers and other aides of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu converged on the Executive Council Chambers for an exco meeting.
It was presided over by Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who is the vice chairman of the state executive council.
Apart from the commissioners, Special Advisers, such as Babajide Akeredolu (the governor’s son) the Director-General of Performance and Project Implementation and Monitoring Unit (PPIMU), Adetunji Adeleye (SA Security Matters) and Dare Aragbaiye (SA Union Matters and Special Duties).
Also yesterday, the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Olamide Oladiji, withdrew its matter before the Court of Appeal, Abuja against the interim orders by the Federal High Court restraining them and others from proceeding with the impeachment of the deputy governor.
The appeal also challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the suit by Aiyedatiwa seeking to halt the impeachment move.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, dismissed the appeal after the lawyer to the House of Assembly and the Speaker, Remi Olatubora (SAN), applied to withdraw the appeal.
Olatubora, while moving the application for withdrawal, told the court that parties to the dispute have found political solution to their problem and signed an armistice to that effect.
He said the instruction from his clients to withdraw the appeal was in enforcing their own part of the armistice.
Olatubora later told reporters that his clients expect Aiyedatiwa to also withdraw his cases in court.
The appeal, marked: CA/ABJ/CV/1073/2023 was filed on October 3 by the Assembly and the Speaker against the orders made ex-parte by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja on September 26.
‘Govt never forged Akeredolu’s signature’
Ondo State government denied allegations that Akeredolu’s signature was being forged by certain persons to loot the treasury.
It said the governor still attends to files.
Two documents have surfaced online with different signatures purportedly belonging to Akeredolu.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, who addressed reporters after the State Executive Council meeting said ‘nobody is forging Mr. Governor’s signature’.
She said the two files sent to the governor were approved and returned to her.
Explaining what transpired at the exco meeting, the Commissioner said the resolution reached at the Abuja meeting was discussed and the key decisions were spelt out for other members that were not present at the parley in Aso Villa.
Mrs. Ademola-Olateju said the council members agreed to abide by the resolutions and embrace peace.
The resolutions include the suspension of impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor, withdrawal of court cases by Ayedatiwa, maintenance of status quo at the party, House of Assembly and State Executive Council, conduct of state affairs by Ayedatiwa as deputy governor and not as acting governor, and exhibition of loyalty by the deputy governor to his boss, Governor Akeredolu.
Besides, the leaders are to ensure that the APC structure is not polarised while the deputy governor is not to seek vendetta.
The deputy governor is also to submit a letter of resignation.
Workers to get N35,000 wage award
She said the Council approved the N35,000 wage award to civil servants in the state.
Mrs Ademola-Olateju said: “We discussed issue of palliatives meant to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal. We took note of how the palliative fund was spent.
“We discussed the resolution reached in Abuja as one family. We agreed there must be peace.”
On the alleged forgery of the governor’s signature, she said only forensic expert would determine which signature is real and which is fake.
She added: “I sent two files to the governor and they came back approved and signed. It was not different from what I am accustomed to.”
“Nobody is forging the governor’s signature to take out money. We vowed to work for the progress of Ondo State. Social media fake news peddlers should desist from spreading fake news.”
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