Shameless politicians behind allegations of certificate forgery against Aiyedatiwa – Aide

On Monday, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the governor of Ondo State, refuted a report claiming he was embroiled in a certificate forgery scandal, claiming the report was the product of some of his political opponents.

On Wednesday, December 27, 2023, Aiyedatiwa took the oath of office as the state's governor in the wake of Rotimi Akeredolu's death in Germany.

In a statement, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor's chief press secretary, claimed that the report was untrue and an attempt to divert the governor's attention.

Adeniyan characterised the accusation as baseless and playful in the statement headed "Certificates: the blackmailers are at it again."
He declared, "Some political actors have been spotted hatching nefarious schemes to level new, unfounded accusations against Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the governor of Ondo State.

"These desperate elements have turned to blackmail after their abject failure to cast the governor in a negative light with the stories surrounding the death of the former Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. The first of these involves accusing the governor of forging certificates through the use of anonymous organisations and people.
"Last night, at a well-known hotel in Akure, a governorship candidate convened with a few people and instructed them to write articles claiming that the governor had falsified his credentials in order to run for office."

Adeniyan went on to say that the accusation was a component of a plot purportedly designed to undermine the governor before the state's governorship election, pointing out that the governor's credentials were turned in to the Independent National Electoral Commission during the previous governorship contest.

"Mr. Governor ran for governor of the state of 2020 on a joint ticket with his former principal, and his official credentials have been made available to the public by INEC."
The governor stated, "Mr. Governor will not be sidetracked by the antics of dishonourable politicians and their cronies and will remain committed to fulfilling his promises to develop Ondo State."

After Akeredolu passed away, Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as the state's governor and has since pledged to see through all of the initiatives his predecessor started around the state.

Prior to his passing, Akeredolu gave Aiyedatiwa authority by sending a letter to the state House of Assembly on December 13, 2023, directing him to take a medical leave of absence to Germany.