~ Where is Governor Akeredolu?
There is a Yoruba popular proverb that says ‘Ilu ti o ba ti si ofin, ko si ese’, which translates as ‘where there is no law, this is no sin’, and conversely so.
Ondo State as a geographical enclave is a territory guided by laws contained in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the State laws. The laws therein the constitutions are unambiguous as to how the affairs of the state should be administered irrespective of the peculiarity at hand, that we have a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) as the Governor further safe the state of any alibi of ignorance as to the position of the law on matters.
The last few weeks have seen those at the helms of affairs in Ondo State display a high level of disregard for the law and the masses who they are accountable to, the uninformed disappearance of Governor Akeredolu from public space, and has left citizens of the state to feed on rumors from unknow quarters while the handlers of government who should abreast the public with authentic information are immersed in playing in-house politics.
The question frequent on the lips of Ondo State inhabitants in the last few weeks has been ‘Where in Akeredolu’?
Governor Akeredolu whose public appearance was last seen at the SEC Meeting on May 17th 2023 has been a subject of rumor, insinuations, and debates by stakeholders in the state, many concerned stakeholders have further raised questions about who is running the affairs of the state in the absence of the Governor, these questions are asked because of the obvious contempt on Section 190 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that states that “Whenever the Governor transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office until he transmits to the Speaker of the House of Assembly a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Deputy Governor as Acting Governor.”
Affront number one is the refusal of the Governor to transmit to the Ondo legislative arm through the Speaker the reason for his disappearance from work.
Affront number two is the refusal to relinquish power to the Deputy Governor to act in his absence as provided by the law, leaving Ondo State at the whims and caprices of political scavengers unknown to the Constitution.
Affront number three is the refusal of the Governor, as a public servant, to make known to the people he elect to serve his whereabouts for more than three weeks now, this signal a total disregard for the people.
One who have thought Governor Akeredolu who was one of the loud voices that asked questions regarding the whereabouts of President Yar’adua in 2010 would have taken a cue from his interventions that year and do what was right in the face of the law.
The Masses of Ondo State are still asking;
Where is Governor Akeredolu?
Tayo OLUYI writes from Akure in ondo state
