The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, on Tuesday, at plenary of the House, reeled out what he called the resolutions reached during the meeting of stakeholders with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja last week over the issue of governance in Ondo State.
We have noticed that Mr. Speaker, for reasons known to him, deliberately twisted facts to suit a certain interest by asserting that there was no agreement to transfer power to the Deputy Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, following the prolonged absence of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON.
While reading the major conditions of status quo put forward at the meeting – which include retaining the Cabinet, Assembly leadership and Party leadership as currently constituted in the State – Mr. Speaker refused to mention that those conditions were hinged on Aiyedatiwa gaining acting governorship status.
It is common knowledge that a Deputy Governor does not have the constitutional power to dissolve the State Executive Council. That power is vested in the Governor and can only be exrcised by the Deputy Governor if he is Acting Governor.
The question that the people of Ondo State should ask Mr. Speaker is: if directive of Mr. President is for Aiyedatiwa not to be named Acting Governor, why then was he made to issue a commitment not to dissolve the Cabinet or change the leaderships of the Assembly and Party? If he remains as Deputy Governor, does he have the power to dissolve the Cabinet?
For the sake of clarity, the President indeed maintained that Akeredolu remains Governor and Aiyedatiwa remains his deputy. However, since the absence of the Governor has been prolonged and a vacuum created, the Assembly was asked to give Aiyedatiwa the power to act as Governor pending the return of Akeredolu to office.
The Speaker mentioned that Aiyedatiwa was asked by the President to sign an undated resignation letter but Mr. Speaker refused to mention that that commitment was predicated on the Deputy Governor becoming Acting Governor. The undated resignation letter was to serve as insurance in case he refuses to relinquish power upon the return of Akeredolu to office.
When Mr. President ‘appointed’ the Speaker, the Party chairman and the SSG to act as monitors of the implementation of the resolutions reached, their job was to ensure that Aiyedatiwa as Acting Governor does not deviate from the resolutions. There is absolutely nothing to monitor in a Deputy Governor that has no constitutional powers.
We therefore insist that Mr. Speaker has breached the resolutions by churning out half-truths in an attempt to delay or abort the implementation of the directive of Mr. President. The suspiciius decision to hurriedly screen and approve 66 people into LG/LCDAS interim administration within a few hours today points to that direction.
While the Deputy Governor is not desperate to assume the status of Acting Governor and will play his part in maintaining peace and order in the State, it is imperative to let the people know those who are intent on scuttling the efforts of Mr. President and well-meaning stakeholders in restoring peace to our beloved State.
Oluyemi Fasipe
@YemieFash