Ondo Governor Dismisses Aide Over Alleged Bribery Involvement

The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has terminated the appointment of his Special Assistant on Forestry, Adeboye Ewenla, amid allegations of bribery.

Ewenla was accused by timber merchants operating in the state. A statement from the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, confirmed that the dismissal took immediate effect.

The statement read, “Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has dismissed the Special Assistant on Forestry (Central Senatorial District) effective immediately due to allegations of bribery and intimidation from timber merchants.

The governor has also initiated an investigation into the management of forest reserves in the state.”

A replacement for Ewenla will be announced soon, and the governor urged all political appointees to adhere to legal and ethical standards in their roles.

In response, Ewenla denied the allegations, claiming they were a scheme to damage his reputation. “I categorically state that these accusations are false and part of an effort to undermine me, as I have been a significant barrier to illegal activities in government forest reserves,” he said.

“The Ondo State Government has banned deforestation and requires operators to pay fees to the government, not to me personally.”