Ondo State Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa is under pressure from various vested groups in the state over his choice of deputy.
The groups and stakeholders are understood to be getting messages across to him on who will not only serve him, the state and the All Progressives Congress (APC), better as deputy governor but also help the party’s fortunes in next year’s governorship election.
More sympathisers, including a delegation of South West Governors and the Senator for Ondo South,Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, yesterday visited the family of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in Ibadan to offer their condolences.
The governors said they would collaborate with Ayedatiwa to give the deceased a befitting burial while Jimoh said the Akeredolus should not mourn because the deceased would make heaven.
The Ekiti State government declared three days of mourning in honour of the late governor.
An APC chieftain said: “It is the prerogative of the governor to pick his deputy. The consultation will be mere formality because he has a bigger task of winning the primary.
“Some of these people being paraded are not on the cards. What Aiyedatiwa needs is a politician because he is not a politician.
“The party is not united. He has been told to bring everybody together. His manner of consultation before picking his deputy would determine how far he is willing to go to ensure party unity.”
It was gathered that Aiyedatiwa might pick his deputy from Owo to appease Akeredolu’s kinsmen and loyalists some of whom have already resigned from Aiyedatiwa’s administration.
