Akeredolu’s Death: Will Aiyedatiwa Become Next Ondo Governor? Here’s What Constitution Says
- Following the demise of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy, is on the verge of being sworn in as the new governor
- A legal practitioner, Barrister Oladotund Hassan, told Legit.ng that it is compulsory and legally binding by law for the deputy to take over
- As amended, section 191 1(1) of the 1999 constitution also confirmed the necessity for the deputy to be sworn in immediately
Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro
Lucky Aiyedatiwa is set to assume the role of the official governor of Ondo State very soon, following the news of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu's passing at the age of 67.
A family source confirmed Akeredolu's demise in Lagos on Wednesday, December 27, revealing that his health condition prevented him from being taken abroad for treatment.
Source: Facebook
Akeredolu's health had been a public concern, having returned to Nigeria in September after a three-month medical leave in Germany.
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Recently, he relinquished power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on the orders of President Bola Tinubu due to his health.
Upon his return from Germany, Akeredolu's attempt to govern remotely from Ibadan, Oyo State, faced criticism from the public, who called for his complete recovery or resignation.
Having served as the acting governor for about two weeks, Aiyedatiwa is now poised to be officially sworn in as governor by the law.
What 1999 constitution says about Ondo State situation
Giving constitutional clarification on this development, Barrister Olatodun Hassan, the secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Epe branch, told Legit.ng that it is a matter of necessity and legally binding for Aiyedatiwa to be sworn in with immediacy.
He said:
"It's a natural flow of moral justification that in the absence of a governor, the deputy governor takes immediate charge.
"The essence of that is to ensure smooth continuity of governance, and there should be no vacuum in the state's governance structure, and that is the law."
Meanwhile, section 191 1(1) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, states that:
“The Deputy Governor of a State shall hold the office of Governor of the State if the office of Governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity, or removal of the governor from office for any other reason in accordance with sections 188 or 189 of this constitution.”
Nigerians react as Ondo Governor Akeredolu dies of leukaemia at 67
Meanwhile, Nigerians have taken to social media to react to the tragic demise of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.
It was gathered that the pragmatic governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) died at 67 after a long battle with leukaemia.
Governor Akeredolu was described as the hero in the fight against insecurity in the southwest region.
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Source: Legit.ng
