- Adopt doctrine of necessity, Sowore tells Ondo Assembly
The office of the Ondo State acting Governor has denied the report that acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has frozen the account of the 18 local governments in the state.
It was gathered that the chairmen whose names were sent to the state House of Assembly by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for screening and approval, had been inaugurated but yet to perform in the office.
To this end, an unofficial piece of information was said to have been sent to them through a text message, purportedly from the office of the acting governor, directing them not to tamper with the finances of their local governments.
The message made available to journalists read, “Distinguished HOLGAs, Your Excellency the acting Governor of Ondo State has directed that all spending/expenditure from local government accounts should be suspended, no signing of cheques, no change of signatories, no withdrawal of any sort until further directive. Please, adhere strictly to instruction and be guided.”
However, a senior staff in the acting governor’s office, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the text message was true but denied the report making the rounds in the media, that Aiyedatiwa had frozen the account of the local government councils.
According to him, the directive given was due to the subsisting court order on the appointment of the caretaker chairmen.
Adopt doctrine of necessity, Sowore tells Ondo Assembly
Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, held a town hall meeting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Saturday, and called on the state House of Assembly to invoke the doctrine of necessity on the ailing state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Akeredolu had in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said he would be going back to Germany for medical vacation.
He also wrote to the state House of Assembly, about his journey and transmission of power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to act till his return.
However, Sowore, who noted that the town hall meeting was organised to show concern about the state, expressed the need for the governor to leave power and take care of himself.
The human rights activist alleged that Akeredolu, who has been sick, was unable to write or sign any document.
He asked the House of Assembly to show the world the letter purportedly written by the governor for the medical leave.
He said, “It is too late for Akeredolu to resign. He is incapacitated; let him go home and take care of himself. I’m no longer demanding his resignation because it is clear that he is incapable of even resigning.
“We are not satisfied with the way and manner he handed over the power. We want the proper invocation of the doctrine of necessity so that Akeredolu can go home and take care of himself.”
