Ondo state has been in the news for the wrong reasons in the last few months due to the prolonged absence of the governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu from the state and failure to perform his duties as prescribed in the constitution.
The governor who has been suffering from an undisclosed ailment went on a medical leave outside the country in June and was smuggled into the country by close aides and family members on September 8, 2023, with pictures showing the once active and vocal former president of the Nigerian Bar Association looking fragile.
While we wish the governor a quick recovery from the illness, regrettably, his absence has made some power mongers to constitute themselves to the now famous cabal , calling the shots and running the affairs of the governance with their selfish and inordinate political ambitions. These few individuals in the cabinet are frustrating all efforts to resolve the logjam in the sunshine state despite the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The crisis which began with the orchestrated impeachment process against the embattled deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa over alleged gross misconduct was halted by the court and ultimately put to rest by the president, who called the State House of Assembly in the interest of peace to shelve the impeachment move.
In what could be described as a clear case of impunity and lawlessness by these characters masquerading as governor’s ‘friend’, threw caution into the wind and continued to run the affairs of the state without the prescribed constitutional provisions. A visit to the state showed an obvious absence of governance with feelings of hopelessness in the faces of the struggling citizens amid the economic realities in Nigeria.
Elder statesmen within and outside the state, Civic Society Organizations(CSOs) , human right groups, concerned citizens and other stakeholders have stepped in with them suggesting different measures towards resolving the impasse, top among the numerous measures put forward was the declaration of the deputy governor as Acting Governor to continue the business of governance in Ondo State.
As the imbroglio continues, Starnews Nigeria reported another twist to the crisis recently, ditto the allegation and revelation made by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Razaq Obe on the alleged discrepancies in the signatures of the governor on the memos sent and returned to him through the office of the Secretary to the State Government. It was a weighty allegation that got residents of the state talking. We opine that it must not be swept under the carpet, knowing full well it was coming from a top member of the cabinet.
A group, Act for Positive Transformation Initiative (APTI) through its Head of Research, Kolawole Johnson has taken bold step in the whole crisis by approaching the Economic and Financial Crime Commission(EFCC) with results of its forensic analysis on the need for the anti-graft agency to investigate the forgery allegation, as well as arrest state officials fingered in the act of criminality.
With less than 21 days left in 2023, there is palpable tension in the state on the financial spending of the government in 2024 with no clear leadership for the preparation and presentation of the 2024 budget for the House of Assembly to consider for deliberation for possible passage.
However, with the vacuum and the waves of uncertainties in the land, people and indeed residents might be preparing to face tougher situations if this crisis continues.
Just as the citizens wait for the action of the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies on the overwhelming evidences in the public, we urge the president to call the leadership of the Assembly to order on the need to adopt the true letters of the constitution by declaring the deputy governor as acting governor to continue from where Akeredolu stopped so that the people could feel the impact of democratic governance they voted.
It must be said that the tenure of the Akeredolu government will come to an end in February 2025.
The state must be rescued from the few individuals who are hell bent to continue their habits of siphoning the resources of the state for their selfish interests and ambitions ahead of the November 2024 governorship election in the state.
Starnews Nigeria investigation establishes the fact that the whole battle of wits by the gladiators is tailored towards who will succeed governor Akeredolu in next year’s governorship poll in Ondo State.
While politicians should be allowed to play their usual game of interests, however, it must be reiterated that governance and interests of the citizens should not be traded for political shenanigans.
Elder statesman and Leader of Niger Delta region, Pa Edwin Clark has joined the fray of patriotic Nigerians calling for an end to the impasse by adopting the doctrine of constitutional necessity for the deputy governor to act as governor pending the time governor Akeredolu will recover from his illness and resume to work.
As a Newspaper, we hereby add our voice by calling on the state assembly to invoke the doctrine of necessity in the interest of the good people of Ondo State.
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