Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has made a major expansion to his political team, approving the appointment of 1,000 political aides, alongside a commissioner-designate and three special advisers.
The appointments, announced on Thursday, are part of the governor’s efforts to strengthen his administration’s reach across the state and improve coordination and service delivery.
A statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the new political appointments comprise 90 Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and 910 Special Assistants (SAs).
Also approved was the nomination of Erelu Taibat Yemi Oloruntoba from Akoko North-West Local Government Area as Commissioner for Special Duties.
Her nomination has been forwarded to the Ondo State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
While the appointments take immediate effect, the government said the complete list of the 90 SSAs and 910 SAs would be made public subsequently.
Who are the new advisers?
The governor also appointed three Special Advisers to oversee key areas of the state’s development agenda.
They are Abimbola Fajolu, from Ileoluji-Okeigbo, as Special Adviser on Environment; Chief Ade Adeniyi, from Ondo West, as Special Adviser on Rural and Community Development; and Muyiwa Ogunyemi, from Akoko North-East, as Special Adviser on Transport.
The list of Senior Special Assistants includes officials assigned to areas ranging from women mobilisation and youth empowerment to community engagement, students affairs, oil and gas, forestry and grassroots mobilisation.
Among those appointed are Erelu Toyin Ogungbure, SSA on Women Mobilisation (South); Bidemi Obayangbon, SSA on Forestry; Gboluge Olufunmi Alex, SSA on Community Engagement (South); Akin Adeniyi, SSA on Community Engagement (Central); and Obayan Theophilus Ayodeji, SSA on Community Engagement (North).
Others include Kelvin Solomon, SSA on Students Affairs; Adeolu Iwakun, SSA on Volunteer Services; Samson Job Bazuaye, SSA on Oil and Gas; Fade Ojamomi, SSA on Youth Empowerment and Job Creation; Sam Adepoju, SSA on Public Engagement; and Alhaji Samad Orijeminiyi, SSA on Scholarship.
The governor also appointed Victor Omodara as SSA on Grassroots Mobilisation and Abayomi Adefolalu as SSA on Photography.
For non-indigene affairs, Abdulkadiri Adenoyi, Prince Nzuoma Egbulefu and Alhaji Garba Goni were appointed Senior Special Assistants.
A wider political structure
The scale of the appointments places thousands of political and administrative responsibilities under a broader network designed to connect the state government with communities and different interest groups.
The Ondo government said the appointments were intended to strengthen governance and enhance service delivery, with the new appointees expected to support the administration across various sectors and constituencies.
For Aiyedatiwa, the appointments also represent a fresh attempt to deepen the administration’s presence at the grassroots, bringing more officials into roles focused on community engagement, mobilisation and sector-specific responsibilities.