Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Democracy, has urged the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to resume his responsibilities without further delay or transfer power to his Deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The Convener of the group, Tunji Asaolu, while addressing a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, expressed concern over Akeredolu’s prolonged absence from Ondo State and called on all relevant authorities to ensure a seamless transition of power from Akeredolu to his deputy.
He noted that the state cannot afford to be without effective leadership and demanded swift action to rectify the situation, stressing that the intent of the framers of the Constitution in sections 189,190 and 191 was to avoid any vacuum.
Asaolu also expressed displeasure at how some ‘cabals’ in the state are preventing the deputy governor from fully discharging his constitutional duties in the absence of Akerodolu.
He added that while they pray fervently to God to restore Akeredolu’s good health and fully show him mercy, his protracted absence raises serious concerns about the functionality of governance, effective decision-making and administrative efficiency in the state.
The group said, “We urge Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to prioritize the needs of the people and to resume his responsibilities without further delay or transfer power to his Deputy. Our state cannot afford to be without effective leadership, and we demand swift action to rectify this situation.
“Equally distressing is the apparent political interference by some persons not elected by the good people of Ondo State, preventing the Deputy Governor from fully discharging his constitutional duties in the absence of Governor Akeredolu. The people know their Governor and his Deputy, not a group of cabal or individuals constituting into cabal.
“We condemn any attempts by political jobbers to sow discord between the governor and his deputy, as well as any endeavors to exploit the resulting power vacuum for personal gain.
“We remind all stakeholders that the Constitution empowers the deputy governor to act in the governor’s absence. The political maneuvering preventing this is a violation of the very principles that underpin our democratic system. Ondo State deserves strong and unwavering leadership, especially in challenging times.”
