Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State in what appears to be a rebuttal to the earlier statement of the national chairman of his party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has denied being “in a state of incapacity” despite his glaring absence from public functions due to illness.
News Band reports that Adamu during a meeting between the national leadership of the party and APC state chairmen, said that Rotimi Akeredolu is incapacitated.
While addressing the APC state chairmen, Adamu said that the governor was incapacitated and currently hospitalised overseas.
He said, “We regret to announce the extreme incapacity of the Governor of Ondo state who we understand has been hospitalised overseas. We wish and pray for him for a speedy recovery,” he said.
However, Mr Akeredolu, who is currently on medical leave abroad, said he would soon resume duty immediately after his doctor certified him as fully ok to be back on his feet.
“Mr Governor is NOT incapacitated, he will return to his duty as soon as the doctors certify him fully fit to do so,” he said in a statement released by the spokesperson for the government, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, on Tuesday.
Speaking further, Mr Akeredolu said the report credited to the APC national chairman was misrepresented in the media.
“It, therefore, smacks of mischief and unabashed abandonment of professional ethics for (a reporter) to present this gross misrepresentation, a mischievous twist, as news.
“At no time did the Chairman mention that the Governor was in a state of “extreme incapacity.
“He (Akeredolu) is, evidently, not in any critical state that should warrant this clearly reprehensible conduct as he still sent a post to the Executive Council Committee platform yesterday,” the statement further added.
Moreover, on Tuesday, Mr Akeredolu wrote the State House of Assembly lawmakers to extend his medical leave. He asked that his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, should continue to act on his behalf.
The letter came days after the governor assured the residents of the state that he was in high spirits and had faith in the expertise of his doctors, who had advised him to rest more with a promise to resume soon.