Wetin Nigeria constitution tok about wen govnor no fit carri out im duty sake of ill health

In recent times, different unverified reports don dey ground about di health status of di Ondo state Govnor Rotimi Akeredolu.

Reports of di undisclosed sickness never dey officially confirmed from the govnor office except for recently wia e officially request for medical leave from office den subsequently hand ova to im deputy.

Di mata take a new twist on Tuesday wen di acting Govnor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, react sharply to some tori wey bin dey go round say im principal dey "incapacitated".

Inside statement, Aiyedatiwa condemn wetin in describe as di “orchestrated falsehoods, insinuations and negative write-ups,” from pipo wey wan cause kasala for di kontri.

Oga Aiyedatiwa no confam or deny di reports wey dey go round.

Instead im say, “some of di commentators express genuine concern as stakeholders based on di provisions of di constitution,” and dem don note am as goment.

E add say dem dey expect di govnor back to im office, but no tok wen dat one go be.

“Im dey high spirit, dey recover and we dey expect am back for office to continue ogbonge service to di state, as soon im doctors certify am medically fit.”

Di reason for di acting govnor sharp response na sak of di dust wey reports ay im principal dey "incapacitated" fit raise especially as regards to di constitution.

Wetin constitution tok about incapacitated govnor

So wetin be di constitution stand on wen govnor of a state dey incapacitated?

Section 189 of di 1999 Constitution as amended say, na wen govnor or im deputy “no dey capable of discharging di function of im office.”

To prove say im dey incapacitated, di House of Assembly go need to set up medical panel wey go do necessary medical examination, give dia report to di Speaker.

If di medical panel certify for im report say di sickness wey im dey suffer don render am permanently incapable of discharging di function of im office, Section 189 (2) say di speaker go sign and publish di notice for Official Gazette of di Goment of di State.

From den on, di govnor or deputy govnor no go fit hold di office again from di date wey dem publish dat gazette.

Who fit dey di medical panel?

No be just any medical doctor fit dey di medical panel wey di speaker go set up.

Di constitution say na five Nigeria medical practitioners go dey di panel.

One of dem go be di personal doctor of di govnor.

Di oda four must be ogbonge doctors for di medical field wey dey connected to di medical exam wey dem need to do.

Akeredolu medical leave

On 7 June 2023, Govnor Akeredolu begin 30 days medical leave wey im suppose resume from on 6 July. Im no transfer power to im deputy.

Before di govnor go on leave, tori wey BBC no fit to confirm, bin dey fly upanda say im bin no dey show for office for a long time, although di reason for dis bin no clear.

On di 13 June, Akeredolu finally write to di State Assembly to transfer power to im deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to act as govnor.

Monday 10 July, four days afta im suppose resume office from im medical leave, im send request to di Speaker of di State Assembly to request extension of im medical leave.

However, dis time, im no tok wen im go return.

Speaker of di Ondo Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, wey receive di letter say di govnor request na according to doctor advice for am to rest afta im don recover.

Oladiji add say, di govnor action na according to wetin di 1999 Constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, tok for Section 190.

Section 190 say once govnor give Speaker of House written declaration say im no go fit discharge im duty, di deputy govnor go become acting governor until im write anoda declaration to cancel am.