It was gathered that the meeting, which would hold eight weeks after the governors met in Asaba, the Delta State capital, would further assess decisions taken in Asaba on the open grazing ban, restructuring, fiscal federalism and the call for state police.

The governors would be hosted by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the meeting which would start by 10 am today (Monday).

Aside from the host governor, others expected at the meeting are Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Diri Duoye (Bayelsa), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Ben Ayade (Cross Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Oluwaseyi Makinde (Oyo), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).

The state government said what was adopted in the state is the indigenous anthem and it is different from the Oodua anthem.

Mr Richard Olatunde, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, made this known in a statement released on Monday, May 24.

Mr Olatunde explained that the indigenous anthem was adopted to promote the tradition and culture of the Yoruba race.

He added that it is important to clarify that the indigenous anthem is different from the Oodua anthem in order to avoid misinterpretation, misconception, and misunderstanding of the aim of the state government.

Chief Ogunye Idowu and Chief Sunday Bada have also been barred by Governor Akeredolu from parading themselves as Olokoja of Okoja.

Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo said the curfew takes effect from 6.00 pm on May 5, 2021.

The statement read “Government warns that Security Agencies have been deployed and mandated to enforce the curfew. Accordingly, anyone who violates or contravenes this order shall face the full wrath of the Law. Dire consequences await such defaulters. In the meantime, Government has ordered the immediate suspension of all activities relating to the OLOKOJA chieftaincy title. In this regard, no one is permitted to parade himself as OLOKOJA, or engage in promotional activities relating to the title in question. This directive takes immediate effect.”

Akeredolu, who contested on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared winner after polling the highest number of votes.

The result was announced by the election’s Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Abel Olayinka who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, UI.

According to the votes as announced, Akeredolu polled a total of 292,830 votes, Jegede scored 195,791 with Ajayi coming a distant third with 69,127.

The governor who will be spending another four year term in office won in 15 of the 18 local government areas of the state while his rival, Eyitayo Jegede of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP won the remaining three within the Central Senatorial District.

Akeredolu’s deputy, Agboola Ajayi who is the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP could not secure any local government.

The debate, themed, ‘2020 Ondo Governorship Election: Face the Voters’ was organised by media organisations, labour unions, civil societies, religious bodies and other critical stakeholders in the state.

The moderator of the debate, Akinwumi Abodunde, said that the four political parties were invited for the debate but while APC’s Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, PDP’s Eyitayo Jegede and Social Democratic Party’s Peter Fasua were present at the debate, Ajayi was absent.

He said “We invited candidate of APC, PDP, SDP and ZLP for this debate and none of the candidates showed any sign of not attending as at one hour to the programme. But only the candidate of APC and SDP – Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Mr Peter Fasua respectively were present at the scheduled time,’’