Following Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu's COVID-19 status, his deputy, Agboola Ajayi has advised him to hand over the governance of the state to him in acting capacity since he is now incapacitated.
Akeredolu had on June 30, confirmed testing positive to COVID-19, and immediately began self-isolation and promised to start working and attending to files from home.
Ajayi, who spoke on Saturday in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Allen Sowore, said Akeredolu's refusal to hand over the governance of the state is a flagrant disregard for the country's constitution.
He disclosed that the governor who is also a lawyer should know better and hand over to him instead of halting the smooth running of governance in the state because of his COVID-19 status.
He gave the governor a 21-day ultimatum to hand over and allow him to carry out government activities for the benefit of the state.
"Section 190 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) is apposite in the prevailing constitutional aberration in Ondo State.
"However, it should be noted, that Mr Governor is at liberty to handover or not within 21 days after which the constitution becomes operational.
"Ostensibly, the refusal and failure of Mr Governor to handover the running of government to his deputy, while he is temporarily incapacitated in self- isolation, underscore his absolute disregard for our nation's supreme document, 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as the tenets of rule of law.
"The Governor's position is a spite on the Ondo State people and a direct assault on the provisions of the constitution which he swore to uphold.
"Governor Akeredolu's deliberate mounting of obstacles to smooth running of government machinery while he's in self isolation as a result of the fact that he has been tested positive for the COVID-19 privileges the hypocratical nature of Ondo State government's war against the ravaging pandemic," Ajayi said.
Akeredolu had also on Friday described his deputy as a threat to governance in the state.
He also explained that Ajayi is no longer a member of APC noting that the idea of handing over governance to him is a none issue.
But the deputy governor in his reply described the claims of Akeredolu as an illusion and a diversion from the real issue of him handing over governance.
He advised the governor to resolve the lingering crisis in the state health sector mostly on doctors' strike instead of decapitating energy at pulling him and his office down.
