The ability of Ondo Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to continue fulfilling his duties has sparked a new wave of controversy. On Tuesday, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, and the state government publicly disagreed on the matter.

The APC Chairman made an uncommon revelation, considering that such information is typically kept private in Nigeria.

This disclosure drew a sharp rebuke from the Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju. She urged the people of the state and Nigerians to disregard the news item, stating that the National Chairman of the APC had been quoted out of context.

According to the Information Commissioner, the news and its contents are merely the products of an imaginative fabrication by those with ulterior motives and those responsible for its publication.

Adamu, speaking in Abuja on Monday during a meeting with APC chairmen from across the country, confirmed long-standing concerns that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is hospitalized and in a state of “extreme incapacity.”

This revelation comes after Akeredolu took a 21-day leave starting on June 7, with his expected return initially set for July 6. However, he extended his medical leave, leading many to question his ability to carry out his official duties.

Adamu stated, “We regret to announce the extreme incapacity of the Governor of Ondo State, who we understand has been hospitalized overseas. We wish and pray for him for a speedy recovery.”

On the other hand, Ademola-Olateju expressed, “The Ondo State government has taken note of a report credited to the Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on July 11, 2023. The headline, ‘Akeredolu in a state of extreme incapacity, hospitalized,’ carries the usual mischievous, wicked, and insensitive tone typically associated with reports sponsored by desperate politicians.”

She further clarified, “The Chairman of the APC in Ondo State, Hon. Ade Adetimehin, who was present at the meeting, has refuted the report as false and completely unrelated to the Chairman’s statement during the event.

The National Chairman was, in fact, pleased with the reports on Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s rate of recovery and encouraged all attendees to pray for his swift return.”