Olusola Oke, a former governorship candidate, says Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, is “rapidly responding” to treatment.
Oke said those circulating rumours about the alleged death of Akeredolu are “wicked and ungodly”.
Over the past few months, there have been loads of speculation regarding the health status of Akeredolu.
Recently, the Ondo house of assembly received a medical leave letter from the governor.
The letter explained that Akeredolu embarked on a 21-day medical leave outside of Nigeria’s shores. The leave started on June 7, 2023 and is expected to end on July 6, 2023.
The governor directed Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, to act in his stead.
Reacting to the development, Oke said those peddling fake death rumours regarding the governor are trying to cause apprehension in the state.
“As mortals, we can fall ill. The governor, like any human being, can fall ill. When illness comes, we seek medical treatment and take deserving rest. This the governor has done and is rapidly responding to treatment,” the statement reads.
“Spreading serial orchestrated rumour through cloned media platforms to harass his family, admirers and the good people of Ondo state of his death is not only ungodly, it reveals the toxic of wickedness and inhumanity in the minds and hearts of those behind the rumour mill.
“It is now realised that these deliberate cartels of rumour peddlers have made it a habitual trade to raise false alarm about the death of the governor to cause panic, apprehension and tension in the state and beyond.
“Thank God, instead of morbid panic, the people of the state have responded with prayers and empathy. Daily, they pray for the governor and God, the giver of life, has indeed stood by him, his family and his well-wishers.
“For those who took pleasure in the pains of others by deliberately manufacturing rumours of the death of others, let me remind them that God has recompense for those who assume his position. Life belongs to him and him only.”
In 2016, Oke was the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ondo. He joined AD after he lost the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Akeredolu.