Akeredolu began his legal career as a junior counsel with the law firm, GM Ibru & Co. He was appointed
Attorney General of
Ondo State from 1997 to 1999. Subsequently, the
allegations against him were reviewed and dropped by the National Executive council of the
Nigerian Bar Association. In a lecture in December 2009, Akeredolu said no amount of
electoral reform or judicial system could give Nigeria free and fair elections if Nigerians themselves refused to take practical steps to ensure that their votes count. Later that month he stated that
Umaru Yar'Adua, the President of Nigeria should have handed over to Vice-President
Goodluck Jonathan in an acting capacity during his
illness, a statement that was backed up by the
Nigerian Bar Association who said he was authorized to speak on their behalf. In 2012, the
Nigerian Bar Association named its new secretariat in
Abuja after Akeredolu, its president citing the need for "generational identification and recognition of those who had contributed immensely to the development of the association. The sheer courage for him to go through the rigour is a testimony to his selfless service." On 4 February 2022, Akeredolu was named Grand Patron of the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency by its chairman, retired Brigadier General
Mohammed Buba Marwa.
Governorship candidate, 2011 In November 2011, Akeredolu was among a crowd of aspirants to be the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for governor of Ondo State in the 2012 elections. During an interview that month, Akeredolu said that he had become well known and respected as president of the Bar, and described himself as a Progressive. If elected, his priorities would include agricultural development, fish farming for export, improvements to education, jobs for youths and improved roads. He would provide free education and primary health care. He was in favour of increased subsidies and greater local control over public spending. On 28 July 2012, Akeredolu was selected as the Action Congress of Nigeria candidate for governor of
Ondo State during the ACN congress in Akure. His selection pitched him in a head-to-head battle with the incumbent,
Olusegun Mimiko and Olusola Oke of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Akeredolu promised to create 30,000 jobs in his first 100 days in office. On 3 September 2016, Akeredolu was awarded the ticket to represent the newly merged
All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2016 elections for Governor. On 27 November 2016, he was declared winner of the keenly contested
2016 Ondo State gubernatorial election.
Governor of Ondo State On 27 November 2016, Akeredolu was announced by the
Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the Ondo State governorship election. He amassed 244,842 votes in the election to defeat
Eyitayo Jegede of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 150,380 votes and Olusola Oke of the
Alliance for Democracy (AD) with 126,889 votes. According to professor
Ganiyu Ambali, INEC Returning Officer, Akeredolu defeated his two major opponents Jegede and Oke, to clinch victory. He was sworn in as the governor of Ondo State on 24 February 2017 in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.
Re-election, 2020 In 2020, the Aketi Movement gathered the support of over 100 groups with 200,000 members across the three senatorial districts of Ondo State for the re-election of Akeredolu as the state governor. On 29 July 2020, Akeredolu picked
Lucky Aiyedatiwa as his
running mate for the 2020 Ondo State Governorship election after the controversy between the Governor and his deputy,
Agboola Ajayi. He beat Olusola Oke, D.I. Kekemeke, Jimi Odimayo,
Segun Abraham and others in the APC primary election. Akeredolu was declared winner of the 2020 Ondo Governorship election on 11 October 2020, after winning 15 out of 18 local governments. The
Independent National Electoral Commission announced his victory on the same day. He won with a total number of 292,830 valid votes against his major opponents from the
Peoples Democratic Party and the
Zenith Labour Party,
Eyitayo Jegede and
Agboola Ajayi respectively. Akeredolu was sworn in for a second term in office on 24 February 2021. He and his new deputy,
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, assumed office on the same date and he was the incumbent
deputy governor of Ondo State. Akeredolu advocated for the payment of taxes in the state to help boost the economy of the state and fulfilments of obligations. Following party disputes senior aides resign, decamp to PDP (Peoples Democratic Party). In June 2022, Akeredolu called the
Owo church attack against
Catholics in Ondo "satanic". Akeredolu was latterly starting up a sea port project in Ondo state and stated that his administration was committed to the completion of the project, which was initiated in his first term, saying the port would not only serve Nigeria but also the whole of West Africa once built. == Illness and death ==