Society Gists

Kayode Ajulo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on Monday, alleged that some officials in the administration of the Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu were signing documents on behalf of the ailing governor.

Ajulo, who is the Principal Partner of Kayode Ajulo & Co. Castle of Law, said this on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme.

According to him, the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, cannot take over from the governor since power has not been transferred to him constitutionally, making way for the hijack of state governance by the cabal.

He said, “I have it on good authority as a lawyer. Some of the commissioners, about five of them, sent memos to the governor, and they all returned with approval.

“Going through the approval compared to what the governor had approved when he was hale (sic) and hearty, there are notable disparities in them.

“The Police and Administration of Justice Act has made it clear that there can be private investigators into the issue as such, and they have been contacted, but their results after the investigation are so damning.

“The purported signature is not from the governor. It is so apparent.”

The lawyer maintained that the doctrine of necessity, which allowed the deputy governor to take over the reign of power till the governor resumes should be embraced.

Ajulo noted that there is a presumption that the governor is incapacitated, adding that the only way to counter that is to present him (Akeredolu).

“Why are some people sitting on the provisional constitutions? It is obvious that some people are holding the state by the jugular and using the present situation to loot the state’s wealth.

“DSS recently has been going around. Other security agencies should embrace the same. Questions bordering on the missing N7.5 billion in the state should be asked, and who gave the approval should not be left out.

“The governor owes it a duty to speak with his people if he can since his health status is being funded with the same taxpayers’ money, or he should do the necessary constitutional duties, which is to delegate power to his deputy.

“His deputy was selected by him and possibly his party members before he ran for office. I don’t think he would have selected someone he had no trust in,” he added.

It was earlier reported that the months-long leadership crisis in Ondo state might have ended as President Bola Tinubu waded into the matter and asked opposing factions to embrace peace and maintain the status quo.

This was as the Deputy Governor pledged to carry all commissioners and officials along in handling the state’s affairs, and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Oladiji Olamide, resolved to halt all impeachment moves against Aiyedatiwa.

Tinubu had met with the state officials, including members of the All Progressives Congress.

Aiyedatiwa, who declared his decision to maintain the status quo and unite all the warring factions, said, “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one of you. I put behind all that has happened before now. I’ve let go and also let God, just as the President has advised us.

“And I want to say that no offence, no guile in my mind whatsoever. All that has happened is politics. Impeachment is part of politics. If you survive it, it is also politics. It has come. I’ve survived it and every other thing in his past.”