Fresh War Over Akeredolu’s Legacy: Ex-Aide Slams Aiyedatiwa Over Deep Sea Port Claim

A fresh controversy has erupted over the legacy of the late former governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, following accusations by his former aide that the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is attempting to diminish the late leader’s role in securing the port declaration for the proposed Ondo Deep Sea Port.

The pushback came from Richard Olatunde, who served as chief press secretary to Akeredolu and issued a statement rejecting comments credited to Aiyedatiwa during a media chat held on March 6.

Olatunde said the remarks attributed to the governor — suggesting that the port declaration secured under Akeredolu was faulty — amounted to a misrepresentation of the efforts that led to the approval of the project.

“It has become very pertinent to clear the air in respect of the statement made by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa during his media chat on the efforts of our late principal at securing the port declaration for the Ondo Deep Sea Port,” Olatunde said.

According to him, the statement by the governor, which he described as “laced with innuendo,” mischaracterised the role played by the late governor in advancing the deep seaport initiative in the state.

During the media engagement, Aiyedatiwa was quoted as saying the project had been discussed by previous administrations but that the declaration obtained during Akeredolu’s tenure contained issues that required correction.

“The Deep Sea Port that we are pursuing has been in the pipeline for many years. Agagu talked about it, Mimiko talked about it. Akeredolu also started something, he got port declaration even though it was faulty that I had to pursue to get it amended,” the governor said.

But Olatunde rejected the characterisation, insisting that reducing Akeredolu’s efforts to merely “starting something” was unfair to the extensive work carried out by the late governor to secure federal approval for the project.

“To merely say that ‘Akeredolu started something’ is to demean the sleepless nights and exhaustive efforts that culminated in the port declaration,” he declared.

Olatunde explained that the Akeredolu administration had taken concrete steps toward actualising the project, including engaging a consulting firm headed by Ekong Etim to conduct feasibility studies and prepare an outline business case for the development of a multipurpose deep seaport.

He said the report was presented to Akeredolu on August 15, 2020, after which the outline business case was submitted to the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission for a certificate of compliance before being forwarded to the federal ministry of transportation.

According to him, the port declaration was eventually secured in May 2023 after a memo from the ministry was presented for approval by the then minister of transportation, Muazu Jaji Sambo.

He added that the approval process was also aided by the efforts of Ademola Adegoroye, whom he said mounted pressure that helped push the process forward.

“These efforts that led to the port declaration go far beyond what anyone, including Governor Aiyedatiwa, should merely refer to as ‘Akeredolu did something’,” Olatunde said.

Addressing the claim that the declaration was faulty, the former aide maintained that what the governor described as a defect was only a clerical issue and did not undermine the validity of the approval.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa should be honest enough to tell the people that what he referred to as ‘faulty’ in the port declaration was a clerical error where a company’s name was inserted into the document as a partner,” he said.

“It was a clerical error and not a fundamental defect. It did not reduce or cancel the validity of the licence secured by the Akeredolu administration,” the spokesperson wrote.

He added that the error was subsequently corrected after it was presented to the federal executive council.

Olatunde further stated that before the late governor’s illness, discussions were already underway with international investors, including companies from China and Dubai, who had expressed interest in participating in the development of the deep seaport project.

“The delay in the port declaration was the reason the late governor could not further consolidate on the arrangements before he fell ill and subsequently answered the glorious call,” he disclosed.

The former spokesman also dismissed claims that the current administration was the first to make progress on bitumen exploration in the state.

According to him, the Akeredolu administration had already secured a licence for bitumen exploration from the federal government as part of efforts to diversify the state’s economic base.

He said the approval was granted through the federal ministry of mines and steel development under the leadership of Kayode Fayemi.

“It is on record that the Akeredolu administration pursued and secured a licence for bitumen exploration in the state,” he added.

Olatunde also alleged that some of the projects initiated by the late governor, including the new Government House in the state, were now being contested despite being completed before Akeredolu’s death.

“It is unfortunate that Governor Aiyedatiwa continues to attack and demean the achievements of the late governor,” he lamented.

Olatunde urged residents of the state to seek the truth about the issues being debated and not be misled by what he described as attempts to distort the historical record surrounding Akeredolu’s achievements.

“We can only implore the people of Ondo State to seek the truth and not fall victim to falsehood masquerading as truth,” Olatunde canvassed.