•Interested politicians fanning embers of war — Speaker

By Dayo Johnson & Dickson Omobola

SOME indigenes of Ondo State, yesterday, urged the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ayedun Odusola, to request the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, to constitute a medical panel that would ascertain Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s capacity to govern.

They lamented that governance has been paralysed in the state over Akeredolu’s ill-health, noting that his inability to govern has affected the lives of 5.3 million residents.

This came as the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Oladiji, yesterday, accused some politicians and other gladiators of causing the feud between Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and his embattled deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa because of their political interests.

However, indigenes, in a petition to the Chief Judge, said the issue was not about Akeredolu’s ill-health but about governance in the state.

The statement was signed by Gbenga Sesan (Ifedore LGA), Yemi Adamolekun (Akure North LG), Ademola Adesida (Akure South LG), Feyi Fawehinmi (Ondo West LG), Japhet Omojuwa (Ilaje LG), Kayode Ogundamisi (Akoko North-East LG), Mrs Omokunbi Adeoti (Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo LG), Omolara Gbonigi (Akoko North-East LG) and Omoyele Sowore (Ese-Odo LG).

The statement reads: “The undersigned individuals are indigenes of Ondo State at home and abroad who are gravely concerned about the lack of governance in Ondo State under your watch. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has been ill for most of his second term since he was sworn into office on February 24, 2021. This year, he embarked on a well documented medical leave, handing over executive powers to his Deputy Governor on June 7. He returned on September 7 and promptly wrote to the State House of Assembly informing them of his return. However, due to his ill health and the poor state of public health facilities in Akure, he has been forced to stay in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital to access the care he needs.

“Any human being can be sick at any point in time and it is certainly not Mr Akeredolu’s wish for his body to have failed him in this manner. In the words of Thomas Fuller, ‘Health is not valued till sickness comes.’ Therefore, the issue is not that Mr Akeredolu is ill, but that governance has been completely paralysed, gravely impacting the quality of life of approximately 5.3 million residents in the process. Furthermore, the leadership he assembled to govern the state has shown a clear inability to step in and provide much-needed leadership of the state in his absence.

“Whereas the Ondo State Executive Council has not met properly since Monday, August 14, 2023, when Mr Akeredolu was still on sick leave, therefore, the Ondo State EXCO has not met since he returned to the country in September.

“The said Ondo State EXCO has failed to carry out its responsibility to the Ondo State people as clearly stated in Section 189 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended).

“The Ondo State House of Assembly, as an independent arm of government that is mandated to provide oversight on the executive arm of government, has also failed to take decisive action on this matter.

“In light of this, we call on your Lordship to act in your capacity as the leader of the third arm of government, with independent powers to enforce the law of the land to compel the Ondo State EXCO to act in line with Section 189 of the Constitution and request that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly constitute a medical panel to ascertain Mr Akeredolu’s capacity to govern.

“We have given Mr Akeredolu two months since his return in September 2023, to do the same thing he asked former President Yar’Adua to do in 2010.

“Since he has failed to act accordingly, we ask your Lordship to act immediately to forestall further crisis in the state.”

Some politicians fanning embers of war —Ondo Speaker

Meanwhile, the Speaker, yesterday, gave an update on the peace parley it had with President Bola Tinubu, last week in Abuja.

Oladiji, who reeled out the resolutions reached at the meeting, noted that three enforcers including himself, the APC Chairman in the state, Mr Ade Adetimehin and Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu; were appointed to monitor the deputy governor’s compliance with the resolutions.

On the political logjam in the state, the Speaker said: “It shook the state to its marrow. Without any iota of doubt in my mind, I strongly believe that we all acted in line with the mandate given to us as representatives of the people.

“Our actions or inactions were governed, guided and directed by the rules of law even though futile attempts were made to blackmail and throw a spanner in our wheel as a body of lawmakers. We all acted and spoke in one voice.

“Honestly, I must confess that what we just witnessed was democracy at play.

“We, as elected representatives of the people, have only acted within the precinct of the mandate freely given to us by our constituents.

“We have demonstrated courage when occasion demanded for it. We asked questions when there was a course for us, so to do.

“Notwithstanding, however, the event which we all have just witnessed, provided an avenue for assessment and reassessment. It was a win-win situation.”

“I urge everyone to sheathe the sword, bury the hatchet and think of better ways to accelerate the much-needed development of our darling Sunshine State in the interest of our people.

“Let me at this juncture warn politicians and other gladiators fanning the embers of war, in this state, because of their political interests to please thread softly as the House of Assembly will not hesitate to deploy the full weight of the law in calling them to order”, he said.