The Ondo State House of Assembly has chosen to uphold the existing government arrangement, rejecting the activation of the doctrine of necessity that would have transferred powers to Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as acting governor.
Speaker Olamide Oladiji announced the assembly’s resolution after a lengthy plenary session on Tuesday, which extended into the late hours.
The Assembly endorsed the resolution reached in a recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. This decision puts an end to the anticipation of Aiyedatiwa being declared acting governor during Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s prolonged absence.
Oladiji, who presented the resolution reached with Tinubu during the plenary, stated that the state’s political status quo would be maintained in the governor’s absence.
The resolution affirmed Aiyedatiwa’s continued position as the deputy governor, and all ongoing impeachment proceedings against him by the Assembly were terminated.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let me present to the good people of Ondo State, the resolution reached after the meeting of representatives of the Ondo State House of Assembly, the State Executive Council members, members of the National Assembly from Ondo State and the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress with his Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leadership of our great party.
“That all parties shall embrace peace; that status quo be maintained by all parties; that all impeachment proceedings be terminated forthwith, and all court cases withdrawn by all parties; that there will be no dissolution of the State Executive Council;
“That undated letter of resignation must be written, signed by the deputy governor and submitted to the President;
“That the party leadership and structures remain intact; that the House of Assembly leadership remains intact;
“That Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa continues to perform the functions of office as Deputy Governor;
“That three enforcers including the State chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, the Speaker of the State of House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji Adesanmi, and Secretary to the State Government, Princess Catharine Oladunni Odu, were appointed to monitor compliance with the foregoing resolution,” he said.
While appreciating Tinubu for intervening in the political logjam of the state, the Speaker urged loyalists to sheathe their swords and bury the hatchet by thinking of better ways to accelerate the much-needed development of the state in the interest of the people.
“On our own part, I pledge, as always, on behalf of my colleagues to continue to work with the other arms of government and other stakeholders towards enhancing the delivery of democratic dividends to 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.”
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had last week Friday intervened in the feud between Akeredolu and Aiyedatiwa as the former continued to hang on to power despite his absence from the state.
Since Tinubu’s intervention, loyalists of the deputy governor had high expectations snd the belief that Aiyedatiwa would be declared as the acting governor in the absence of the governor.
