Ondo Assembly to Aiyedatiwa: Withdraw Multiple Court Cases against Your Impeachment Proceedings

•Lawyer says Akeredolu can rule from anywhere, PDP kicks

Fidelis David in Akure

The Ondo State House of Assembly, yesterday, called on the embattled Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to take immediate steps to withdraw the multiple court cases he filed against his impeachment process in order to ensure a genuine political solution to the crisis.

Also, a day after the Special Adviser on Special Duty and Strategy to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Doyin Odebowale, said the governor was not working from the capital due to accommodation challenges

because of his present health condition, an Akure-based human rights lawyer, Morakinyo Ogele, has said the governor, could govern the state from any part of Nigeria.

But the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the state has challenged the rationale behind Akeredolu’s decision to govern the state from his Ibadan residence, describing the position by Odebowale and Ogele as illogical arguments.

THISDAY had reported that after weeks of animosity, members of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Tuesday, agreed to suspend the impeachment process against the deputy governor, following the intervention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, after a reconciliation meeting held at the party secretariat in Abuja.

However, in a fresh directive by the spokesperson of the Assembly, Olatunji Oshati Emmanuel, the legislature reiterated that the lawmakers had agreed to end the hostilities but, “the House therefore, hopes that in the same spirit of genuine wish for a political solution, the Deputy-Governor would take immediate steps to withdraw the multiple court cases he filed over the same impeachment.

“This would allow the stakeholders to freely discuss the settlement proposals and prevent actions or comments over a matter that is still subjudice.

“The House was only exercising its responsibility under S.188 of the 1999 Constitution, having received a petition accusing the Deputy Governor of some allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office.”

He however, expressed the desire of the House leadership to further consult with members of the House cutting across party lines, on the political solution as proposed by the APC.

However, speaking with journalists in Akure, Morakinyo Ogele, maintained that Ondo State governor has the legal right to direct the affairs of the state as outlined by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

According to him, there should not be any concerns over Akeredolu’s whereabouts, particularly when his absence from the state has no adverse effect on the governance of the state.

The legal practitioner noted that the constitution was silenced and not particular on where the governor must reside or stay as elected governor but said once the governor fulfill his responsibilities as governor, there is be no need to raise unnecessary dust over the issue.

Ogele, who stated that illness could befall anyone, underscored the need for understanding and empathy, and said, “We are all human beings, and we are subject to the vis major, the act of God.

According to him, “No one is praying to God for the grace to be sick. But the moment you are sick, you just have to take care of yourself, either here in Nigeria or in other countries. So, as governor, he is subject to sickness.

“The constitution is very clear about the issue. Now that the governor is around, nobody has accused him of not performing his constitutional role. Section 189 of the Constitution is as clear as the summer sky. As of now, no one is complaining that the governor has not been performing.”

Reacting, the Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Kennedy Peretei, kicked against the continued stay of the governor in Ibadan, alleging that Akeredolu was only hurriedly brought into Nigeria to oversee an impeachment process.

“On a good day, it would have been unnecessary to react to Doyin Odebowale’s illogical argument about why Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has not been seen in Ondo State, because, he who drums for a madman is himself insane.

“However, to say that PDP has no business demanding for Mr Governor’s whereabouts is a measure of his ignorance of what is expected of a governor that has been missing in action for more than six months,” Peretei said.