Shock Move! Aiyedatiwa Presses National Assembly to Alter Constitution for Re-Election Bid

There are strong indications that Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has quietly begun lobbying members of the National Assembly to push for an amendment to Section 183(3) of the 1999 Constitution (Fourth Alteration, No. 16) Act, 2017.

This constitutional clause, which took effect on June 1, 2019, under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, limits any person who assumes the office of governor due to death, resignation, impeachment, or permanent incapacity to one additional four-year term.

Sources within the state government revealed to Vanguard in Akure, the state capital, that this lobbying is part of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s broader political maneuvering to avoid being restricted by the current constitutional provision.

A close associate of the governor disclosed that no fewer than six Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have been engaged to explore a Supreme Court interpretation of the provision.

Aiyedatiwa became governor on December 27, 2023, following the passing of his predecessor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN). Under the present constitutional framework, he is only entitled to one additional term.

His first full tenure officially begins on February 25, 2025, following his victory in the November 2024 governorship election.

Despite being only a few months into his administration, online campaigns for his potential 2028 re-election have already surfaced. Recently, one of his Senior Special Assistants, Kehinde Akinrotoye, shared an opinion piece written by Shola Elekan, arguing that Aiyedatiwa remains constitutionally eligible to contest again in 2028.

Elekan cited Section 182(1)(b) of the Constitution, which states that a person is only barred from contesting if they have been elected governor in two previous elections. He stressed that Aiyedatiwa did not ascend to the position through an election in 2023 and that his first election as governor will be in 2024.

A senior aide to the governor, who is also a notable figure in the ruling party, confirmed the quiet moves to amend Section 183(3), stating:

“It may seem early to publicly discuss the 2028 governorship election given that we just concluded the 2024 poll, but that doesn’t rule out strategic groundwork already taking place.”

“In politics, it’s always about negotiation and compromise. Just two weeks ago, the governor’s original nominee to the South West Development Commission (SWDC) board, Razak Obe, was reportedly replaced with Joshua Olufehinti through behind-the-scenes influence from key senators.”