A Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reacted to the outcome of the meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Ondo State House of Assembly members on Friday.
A leader of Afenifere, Seinde Arogbofa, expressed concerns over the resolutions reached at the meeting held by President Tinubu with factions in the Ondo State Assembly.
Arogbofa warned that there could be a further crisis if there is no authority from whom people can get directives from in the state government.
“If the governor is in place, there is no need for an acting governor; but if the governor is not in place, there is a need for someone who has the authority to carry the task of governance,” Arogbofa said.
“If there is no one with that authority, then it will be like an animal kingdom.”
Arogbofa, however, noted that the concern of Afenifere and other leaders in the state is for peace to reign in Ondo State.
He said the group would consider the items on the resolution of the meeting with the President and issue a formal statement after a meeting of its elders.
Afenifere had, on Tuesday, called on President Tinubu and the APC national leadership to wade into the Ondo crisis, noting that the state government was in disarray. Meanwhile, Ondo State chapter of the PDP has criticized President Tinubu for “failing” to resolve the issues brought before him.
The party’s spokesperson, Kennedy Peretei, said with the pending issues, the two factions will remain in dispute.
“It is a situation of 1-1 draw, the Aiyedatiwa group wanted the deputy governor to be made acting governor, and the Akinteriwa-led group wanted the deputy governor impeached,” he said.
“There is no difference between what is done now and what the Masari-led peace committee (of the APC) did – just appealed to them to sheathe their swords. The only difference now is that the president did the talking.
“That the deputy governor will not be impeached anymore appears to be the soft landing for him and perhaps the only thing achieved in the meeting.
“But the issues of the state still remain. The cabal will still be using the name of the governor to steal.
“Since August, the leadership of the local governments in the state were dissolved and nothing has happened since then. Is that how to run a state, is that what the Ondo people want?
“For me, it is inconclusive, and that is because the issue at stake is the 2024 governorship election and unless a clear-cut decision is taken, the problems will remain.”
Meanwhile, Mr Aiyedatiwa, while speaking on the resolutions after the meeting, said he would ensure that what happened in the recent past was left in the past.
