Ondo: Clark To Tinubu: Adopt Doctrine Of Necessity To Resolve Unfortunate Crisis

• says precedent has been set with Yar’Adua, Jonathan’s case in 2010

South-South Leader, Edwin Clark in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu has urged him to adopt General Yakubu Gowon’s Eminent Persons Committee’s suggestion on doctrine of necessity to resolve what he termed unfortunate crisis in Ondo State, as regards the prolonged absence of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from the state and his seclusion from the public and his relationship with his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, which has been in tatters over who controls the government.

Akeredolu officially resumed duties in the first week of September after returning from a three-month medical leave in Germany. However, he has since not set foot in the state and has not addressed the people of the state or been seen in public, not even during visits by state officials to his residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The absence of Akeredolu has led to several consequences, including: A political drama in the state as the House of Assembly launched a bid to remove his deputy, Aiyedatiwa, for alleged disloyalty to his principal;

The sealing of the Peoples Democratic Party’s secretariat in the state over a planned protest by some youths;

Criticism from socio-political groups in the state, such as the Ondo Redemption Front (ORF), which called on Akeredolu to address the state or resign from office if he is not fit to govern the state;

The Ondo State Consciousness Movement condemning the continued absence of the state governor and the prolonged disagreement between the governor and his deputy;

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The crisis has also affected the state’s participation in key national engagements. President Tinubu had recently intervened in the crisis, advising all opposing parties to bury the hatchet and embrace peace.

In the open letter titled: “URGENT NEED TO RESOLVE THE ONDO STATE IMPASSE” Clark said the situation in Ondo is similar to what happened when President Umaru Yar’Adua, was very ill, and did not transmit a letter to the National Assembly in accordance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, to enable the then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan to act as president.

He recalled that the nation was almost grinding to a halt because there was no one administratively in charge of the affairs of the country, which led to several groups protesting in Lagos and Abuja. He noted that it was at that stage that former Head of State, Gowon, rose up to the occasion when he summoned a meeting of some persons comprising late former heads of State, former Vice president, three former Chief Justices of Nigeria among others, where the idea of Doctrine of Necessity was birthed in order to solve the constitutional logjam the nation was facing.

He said the delegation set up submitted the letter containing the suggestion to the National Assembly and the then Vice President.

The elder statesman said the Senate under the leadership of David Mark, as Senate President acted on the suggestion of the eminent persons group and declared Jonathan, Acting President under the Doctrine of Necessity on 9th February, 2010.

Clark while thanking Tinubu for his intervention into the Ondo State crisis, both as President of the country and as leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and attempting to be fair and just to all parties concerned, the Legislature, the executive and the entire Ondo people, when at the end of the marathon meeting he held with them, where every body bared their mind, and directed that:

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“All parties should work together;

“That the ailing Governor of the State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu should remain in office, while the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, retaining his position, should preside over the executive;

“That status quo should remain and no member of the Executive should be sacked

“That the Deputy Governor should withdraw his case against the Speaker and the members of the State House of Assembly;

“That the Legislative arm should also abandon their decision to impeach the Deputy Governor, and should also withdraw all actions they previously took to counter the Deputy Governor’s action in the State capital Akure.”

Clark said it was however, confusing to learn that the Speaker of the House of Assembly told his members that the Deputy Governor is to sign an unwritten resignation letter, without stating what should give rise or what gave rise to that action. And whether the Speaker has the powers to direct such resignation.

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He reminded President Tinubu that because of the impasse, “every facet of Ondo State is currently sharply divided; the executive and legislative arms all have people either supporting the Governor or the Deputy Governor”, he said.

He appealed to the President that, “we have enough insecurity in the country which has largely stretched our security forces. This is why you must urgently and firmly act in the current situation in Ondo State, under a doctrine of necessity.“

(Daily Sun)