Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has dismissed allegations that his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, was denied access to the official deputy governor’s residence and forced to live in substandard hotels since assuming office in February 2024.
A statement from the governor’s press secretary, John Paul Akinduro, described the claims as false and politically motivated. According to the statement, the official lodge had been undergoing renovations ordered by Aiyedatiwa and is now ready for use.
“Dr. Adelami and the governor enjoy mutual respect. The deputy governor has not been forced to live in any ‘ramshackle hotel,’ nor has he been denied access to his official residence,” the statement read. It further emphasized that such claims were being spread by “anti-democratic elements” seeking to sow discord.
However, a Sahara Reporters investigation contradicts this narrative. Government insiders allege that Adelami was deliberately kept out of the deputy governor’s lodge over fears of a potential power tussle. They claim he stayed in at least four hotels in Akure between February 2024 and early 2025, with the state reportedly spending over ₦130 million on his accommodation, excluding expenses for his aides.
Adelami, a former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly and one-time APC governorship aspirant, was nominated by Aiyedatiwa after the dissolution of the Executive Council in January 2024 and sworn in on February 1.
The controversy comes amid broader tensions within the state government. Governor Aiyedatiwa has faced criticism over the growing influence of Finance Commissioner Omowunmi Isaac. Sources accuse her of wielding disproportionate power and manipulating the state budget for personal gain.
In the 2025 budget, the Ministry of Finance received an ₦11.5 billion security vote. The opposition PDP labeled the budget “padded,” pointing to questionable allocations such as ₦250 million for “honorariums and sitting allowances” and ₦230 million for a luxury SUV for the commissioner. Isaac also drew public outrage after being seen spraying ₦500 notes at a public event — a violation of the CBN Act — though no legal action has been taken against her.
Critics say Aiyedatiwa may be repeating the same tactics used against him when he served as deputy to the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. During Akeredolu’s prolonged medical leave in 2023, Aiyedatiwa was sidelined after acting as governor, leading to an aborted impeachment attempt before Akeredolu’s death in December 2023.
Despite the Court of Appeal affirming Aiyedatiwa and Adelami’s electoral victory on July 31, 2025, internal divisions and mistrust continue to plague the administration.
