Govnor of Ondo state Rotimi Akeredolu
Na ova two months now wey di govnor of Ondo state Rotimi Akeredolu bin returm from medical leave wia im go collect treatment, but since dat time dem neva see am for di state wey e dey govern.
Govnor Akeredolu begin im 21-day medical leave for June 2023 wen im travel go Germany for treatment. E suppose return by July 2023, but di govnor fail to return.
Wen govnor Akeredolu no return as e promise for im letter to di state house assembly, im write to di lawmakers on 15 July again to extend di medical leave.
Na dat time im come add say make im deputy Lucky Aiyedatiwa dey act for im capacity as ‘acting govnor’.
On 7 September, BBC News Pidgin confam say govnor Akeredolu return to Nigeria afta spending 93 days on medical leave.
Di biggest twist be say since wen di govnor enta Nigeria for September e neva go di state wey im dey govern - na Ibadan Oyo state e go stay.
Wia govnor Akeredolu dey?
Why a sitting govnor go go siddon for anoda state come dey govern from dia wen no be say im own state dey unsafe, na question wey citizens of Ondo state bin dey ask be dis.
Plenty agitation don show onto say govnor Akeredolu neva return to Alagbaka akure wia im office dey, but instead e choose to go stay for Ibadan and opposition don even drag am say make e resign.
Ogbonge lawyer Jiti Ogunye tok say di law of Nigeria no too explain wia a govnor fit govern im state from. Di lawyer add say di law tok about make di govnor hand-ova to deputy if im dey sick afta lawmakers for di state don dey notify.
Ogunye reveal say wetin dey happun for Ondo state dey strange and e neva happun for di kontri bifor.
E say na wen former president Musa Yar’adua travel for treatment na im dem amend di law make govnor dey hand-ova give dia deputy.
Since di govnor return to Nigeria, e neva go im own state wey e dey govern. Rather, govnor Akeredolu bin choose to go stay for Ibadan wia im bin dey control di state from.
However, different tok tok from different quarters dey speculate say dem fit don even fly di govnor out of di kontri again sake of say e neva dey strong enof. BBC no fit confam dis tori.
‘Akeredolu dey incapacitated’
According to former commissioner for youth development and sports Dayo Awude, di pipo of Ondo state don dey for increased tension and state officials dey try hard to cover up reality of wetin dey do di govnor.
Awude wey serve from 2015 reach 2017 say Akeredolu wey be former president of di Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) bin dey di forefront of agitation wen former president Yar’adua no hand-ova to im vice, but for im own turn now e dey keep silent.
“Akeredolu don dey off work and out of Ondo State without resigning and e no hand-ova goment to im deputy as provided by di law. E be like say im come love di state pass im health Na different excuses we dey wake up to wey dem wan use justify di absence of di govnor from di state and e dey very insulting.
Since im return to di kontri from im hospitalisation for Germany, Akeredolu neva enta Ondo State and e neva address di pipo of di state within six months of inaction and invisibility. One fit conclude say Mr govnor dey incapacitated and e suppose resign as a mark of honour,” di former commissioner tok.
Awude add say make govnor Akeredolu no do cover up for im health becos im gatz convince di pipo say e dey fit to do im job or make im resign if im health no go allow am perform well as govnor.
Anoda group, Ondo State Conscience Movement say e no dey reasonable make di govnor dey rule from outside di state.
Di Chairperson of di group Shalom Olaseni for im statement say e dey very ‘regrettable’ say di absence of di govnor from di state dey affect di govnance of di state and im no transfer power to di deputy.
“If di health of di govnor require further assessment, e go better make im honourably transfer state power to im deputy govnor to ensure say di state dey get efficient administration.
For September 2023, govnor Akeredolu still dey sign bill into law from Ibadan wey im dey stay. E sign di bill wey create 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) for di state.
‘Akeredolu no follow wetin constitution tok’
Di youths under Peoples Democratic Party for Ondo State bin condemn di way wey govnor Akeredolu dey take handle di state from Ibadan. Dem threaten to drag am go court if e no fit address di citizen of di state wey im dey govern.
Oluyi Tayo wey dey lead di youth wing of PDP tok for dia secretariat for October say di govnor dey disobey di constitution as e dey obvious say di govnor no dey function for di state and im no drop power.
“We no fit get govnor wey no fit address im pipo since e return from im medical vacation. If truly di governor dey fit, make e come out.”
“We dey ready to take di governor to court, or even di Speaker if dey no invoke Section 189(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on him (governor).”
According to section 189 (subsection 1-5) of di Constitution of di Federal Republic of Nigeria, di govnor or deputy go cease to dey hold power if e dey verified say dem dey incapable of discharging dia functions.
Di section add say wia e dey certified say di govnor or deputy dey suffer from any infirmity of body wey make am incapable of discharging function of im office, e go cease to hold power.
Section 190 of di Constitution also tok on why e dey necessary for govnor to transfar power to im deputy if e dey unable to perform im function.
Di section state say di deputy go become acting govnor wen di govnor write to di house of assembly say im dey go vacation or unable to function well.
All of diz na wetin Akeredolu don violate, according to wetin ogbonge lawyers tok.
Even as im transfer power give im deputy for sometime, e collect am back but e neva return to di same state e dey govern.
