Chuks Okocha in Abuja
A coalition of pressure groups within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday charged the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to resume duties within 72 hours or hand over the mantle of his office to the deputy governor.
The group threatened that they will occupy the Ondo State Government House, if their requests are not met.
Addressing a press conference yesterday at the national secretariat of the PDP, the National Coordinator of the PDP Forever Groups, Hon. Onande Gideon Obande, said, “We make bold to say that, if the governor fails to resume or handover power to his Deputy within 72 hours, we will have no option than to occupy Ondo State Government House to press home our demand.”
The group also called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the matter, saying, “We understand that, Mr. President is a season politician who ordinarily should have intervene, likewise the national leadership of the APC but their failure to address the issue is raising more concern as Ondo State is central to national development.
“The governor has been around in the country but obviously not fit enough to manage the affairs of the State. The question is, since the deputy governor is not allowed to act, and the governor has refused to resume, who is administering the state at the moment.
“We hereby call on Governor Olawarotimi Akeredolu to resume within 72 hours or hand over power to his deputy for effective management of Ondo State,” Obande stated.
The PDP pressure groups blamed the family, saying, “The same people who are close to the governor, mostly his family members who believe that the mandate given to Governor Akeredolu is a retirement benefit to the entire family are responsible for the ugly situation in the state.
Giving instances of what happened in the past, the national coordinator of the group said, “During our reign in power, former President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was sick and could not transmit power to the Vice President before leaving the country, our party invoked the powers of the constitution and empowered the Vice President as the Acting President.
“It also happened in Taraba State when the late Governor Danbaba Suntai had an air crash, we resolved the crisis but the ruling APC has failed woefully in managing the political crisis in Ondo State. This is a sign that the APC-led federal government is insensitive to the plights of Nigerians.
“What is so difficult to call the State Assembly to order and ensure smooth working relationship between the deputy governor and the sick governor’s family? We believe that because the crisis is in Yoruba land, the APC has abandoned the constitution to serve some personal interest thereby abandoning Nigerians to their faith”
He explained that Nigeria belongs to all, stressing, “whether PDP or APC or even Labour Party, as such, we can not fold our arms and watch the nation being sunk. Once upon a time, our party, the Peoples Democratic Party attempted to protest against the leadership vacuum in Ondo State but the security agencies prevented us. We are not giving up, we are resilient in propagating good governance at all times.”
Obande said that it has become ridiculous and indeed a laughing stock and the activities of non-state actors who display their overbearing influence on the management of affairs of Ondo State in view of their relationship with the ailing Governor Akeredolu.
