By Ikeddy Isiguzo
Dear Governor,
Many tend to forget that you are not just a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, but a President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, 12 years ago. You are not a neophyte where the law is concerned but your attitude is confusing them.
At 63, you have seen enough through life’s journeys to be circumspect about power, particularly with the immunity that some have promoted to impunity, like some of your brother Governors. What would you say about the rule of law as it applies to your relationship with the Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi?
Before you tested positive for the coronavirus you had been squabbling with Ajayi who you stripped of the powers of his office including security personnel. It took the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police to restore the former Deputy Governor’s security.
You sacked all aides attached to Ajayi. You were short of abolishing the office of Deputy Governor who has the same immunity as you, under the same Constitution that brought you to power.
Instead of you enjoying the goodwill and sobriety that your Covid-19 result should provide, there are shocks that you have failed to respect the law. Are you boasting about the impunity?
Things have worsened with Ajayi decamping to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he is expected to face you in the governorship election on 10 October 2020. There are assumptions that you would not get the party’s ticket for a second term.
Unity Group, a pressure group withinyour party, All Progressives Congress, APC, is fighting to deny you the ticket. Since last October you ruled out any chances of reconciling with the group.
The more immediate matter is the proposed denial of the Deputy Governor the constitutional right to act in your absence. Illness is one of the constitutional grounds for a Governor to handover to the Deputy Governor.
Many Governors observe the provision in breach. None of them was an NBA President. None so far has breached it with the level of impunity that you are exhibiting.
You know the law and yet boast of upturning the Constitution with which you were sworn into office. How can a former NBA President be so askance with the law?
In Akure, on Friday, Donald Ojogo, your Commissioner for Information and Orientation told the world that you would not handover to Ajayi. He did not say who would act while you are in isolation.
Ojogo dubbed Ajayi the greatest threat to good governance in Ondo State. “Handing over the governance of the State to Agboola is a none issue, and we are not even considering that,” he said. Was he not speaking for you? Have you denied him? Is he still not in office?
“I know as a matter of fact nobody would want to do that. He (Deputy Governor) has created an unusual scenario upon which he wanted to climb into the next step in his political ambition and we have seen this as a misadventure.” He was still speaking for you, knowing that circumstances permitting, you would have personally impressed your immunity on this impunity.
“We cannot toil with what we have built over the years. We cannot risk and attempt to hand over to someone who has exhibited the widest scenario of betrayal.”
Anyone reading Ojogo’s decision would be forgiven if he thinks the discussion is about who would have the keys to your bedroom during your isolation. Has Ondo State become your property to be protected in this manner? Will your silence not confirm it?
“So, it is unthinkable and unquestionable. If that is the reason why the deputy governor is sponsoring some write-ups that the governor must hand over to him, he is only joking, and it is not going to happen,” Ojogo said.
It is difficult to say which is worse, your chosen path to abridge the Constitution or Ojogo’s notice that Ondo State – under your watch – has decided to disobey a part of the Constitution.
“Mr. Governor is saying COVID-19 is not a death sentence and he is strong enough to work,” Ojogo said. With whom would you work from isolation?
Since you are strong enough to work from isolation, one of the things you should quickly do is to detach yourself from the embarrassment that Ojogo is exhibiting in your name. Were we more organised, an intention to commit a crime would have been enough grounds to pull Ojogo before the law. You know this better than most of us.
Where is the Ondo State House of Assembly in all this? The question is not meant for you.
Unless you extricate yourself from this situation, you stand charged with turning immunity to impunity. Ojogo enjoys no immunity and has no grounds for being above the law and fanning the embers of lawlessness except that your silence has awarded him the turf of recklessness to misappropriate the Constitution.
Be assured of our wishes for your quick recovery as we look forward to your 64th birthday on 21 July.
Sincerely,
Ikeddy
*Isiguzo, veteran journalist and member NGE, sent in this piece to The AUTHORITY
