Ill-health: Akeredolu hands over to deputy, jets out for medical attention
By Stephen Gbadamosi
Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has officially written to the State House of Assembly, seeking a 21-day leave for medical treatment abroad.
According to the letter, a copy of which was seen by some journalists on Tuesday, during Akeredolu’s absence, his deputy, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, will be the acting governor.
The leave period is expected to commence on June 7 June and is expected to terminate on the July 6 (with public holidays factored in).
It will be recalled that the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) had recently asked Akeredolu to institute a probe into activities of Ayedatiwa in his home, with regard to allegations by his wife, Oluwaseun, on domestic violence.
“The reports emanating from Ondo State deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s home is unsettling and startling and should not be swept under the carpet. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu should order a probe into the allegations of domestic violence levelled against his deputy.
“The women affairs ministry in Ondo State should rise up. The Human Rights Office of the Nigeria Police Force, the Ondo State Command should act now to set a precedent that no one, no matter how highly placed, would be allowed to trample on another without facing the tune of the law.
“Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa should step aside until conclusion of investigation by the government and security agencies.
“The death of gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu, who was a victim of domestic abuse, is still fresh in mind. In 2021 alone, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it received over 1.7 million sexual and gender-based violence complaints and out of that, about over 900,000 affected women and children.
“Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution is unequivocally clear that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his/her person and accordingly, no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.
“The Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act, 2015 prohibit all forms of violence in private and public life. Section 19 (1) of the Act provides that a person who batters his or her spouse commits offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or both.
“Security agencies must get to the root of the matter and Deputy Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, if found culpable, must not be excused from the right sanctions, regardless of his office as deputy governor. Our society has laws and without sanctions, there can’t be sanity,” HURIWA’a national coordinator, Emmanuel Owubiko, had said.
But sources in the state House of Assembly had informed The Daily Times that the governor did not want to dabble into the private affairs of the deputy governor, especially since he was already considering the option of handling over to Ayedatiwa before he leaves the country for medical attention.
READ ALSO: REDAN Debunks the story of secured N26bn from Shelter
“How do these groups want the governor to dabble into the affairs of the man’s home. Even then, no one can confirm that those allegations are true. And the governor had been considering going to take care of his health; he has always wanted to hand over to his deputy in such eventuality.
“If he now suspends him, and later he has to travel out, who will he hand over to? He is someone that knows everything about the law; he can’t create constitutional crisis by himself now,” said the source.
