In a move to resolve a leadership crisis gripping Ondo State, President Bola Tinubu has directed the state’s House of Assembly to transfer power to Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, according to multiple reports.
Tinubu announced on Monday during a meeting he convened to address the growing political tension in Ondo.
The transfer of power, the president emphasized, is to be carried out unconditionally and adheres to the principle of the “Doctrine of Necessity.”
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This doctrine, established in 2010 during the illness of then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, allows for temporary power transfer to the vice president in cases where the president cannot discharge their duties.
Sources close to the matter said that the power transfer would be facilitated via electronic signature. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who has been battling health issues, is currently too weak to sign any documents physically.
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The decision, which allows Akeredolu to take medical leave and prioritize his well-being, follows mounting pressure from various stakeholders, including the opposition People’s Democratic Party and civil society groups, urging the governor to step aside and allow his deputy to assume leadership.
The Ondo State House of Assembly has previously attempted to remove Aiyedatiwa from office, but those efforts were thwarted by President Tinubu’s intervention and subsequent peace deal.
The current directive marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Ondo and is expected to bring much-needed stability to the state.
