From his Isolation centre bed, the Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said he will continue to administer the state, vowing not to hand over to his Deputy, Agboola Ajayi, in acting capacity.
But Agboola, who is now with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), having resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) says he has not harboured the thought to take over since Akeredolu is not incapacitated.
The Catch 22 situation in the state where its Health Commissioner, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, passed away from Covid-19-related complications two days ago, and the Governor receiving treatment from the ravaging pandemic, has got analysts drawing morbid permutations.
However, speaking through the state’s spokesman and Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, Akeredolu said, “Those of us in government and believe strongly in this government see the deputy governor as the greatest threat to good governance in Ondo state and you can’t attempt to handover to people like that. Agboola Ajayi is the greatest threat to this government.
“I don’t know how and we got into this, what we witnessed in 1983, the level of treachery that was deployed against late Adekunle Ajasin.
“Except for those who have the opportunity to witness what we are seeing in Ondo state , one may be tempted to say that was the height or nothing could surpass level of treachery but what we are seeing today represent the fact what Omoboriowo did in 1983 was a child play compare to what Agboola Ajayi is doing now.
“You don’t rock a boat that has taken you across the ocean. It is a non issue and we are not even considering handing over to Agboola Ajayi and I know as a matter of fact that no one who believes in good governance in the state will even advise Akeredolu to hand over to his deputy. What would be the compelling reason when governance is not grounded?
“We cannot toy with what we have build over the years. We cannot risk it and attempt to hand over to someone who has exhibited mindless level of betrayal and an unquestionable level of treachery.
“This is not done and unthinkable, undebatable and if that is the reason he has been sponsoring write ups to say there is likely to be vacuum, the governor must hand over to him, he’s only joking, it is not going to happen because the governor is hale and hearty.
“COVID -19 is not a death sentence and the governor is strong enough to work and for the deputy to insinuate, incite or instigate people to be stirring the water to say that the governor should hand over to him, confirms our fears in the last ten months that Agboola Ajayi has been striving to take over power through the backdoor and God will not allow him.”
But in his own comments through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Babatope Okeowo, the Deputy Governor says becoming Acting Governor is farthest from his mind.
His words: “The constitution is so explicit about it that when the President or the Governor is incapacitated, the vice or the deputy takes over but in this case the governor is not incapacitated. It is only when he is incapacitated that the doctrine of necessity will be come into play.
“For now, there is no need for any anxiety about the governor’s state of health. He has said that he will been treating files while in isolation. That means governance won’t be affected.
“And you know the political situation in Ondo State now. Both the governor and the deputy governor are in different political camps, so we don’t expect it and we are not bothered about it because before now the governor had sidelined the deputy governor in the day to day running of the activities of government. There is nothing unusual in what he did.
“In the constitution, he ought to have transmitted letter but when you look at it from political angle, the governor will not do it and we are not bothered. We are bothered because we know we are in a different political parties.
“So, since he is not incapacitated, there is no need for doctrine of necessity and we are not bothered with that.
“Even when President Buhari was sick, the Attorney General of the Federation said he can work from anywhere as President. The late Abba Kyari was the one taking files to him in London where he was recuperating.”