Nigerian Human Rights Activist and Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) party Omoyele Sowore, has disclosed his reasons for calling on ailing Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to resign from his position.
The #RevolutionNow convener who spoke on News Central TV’s Breakfast Central on Tuesday morning, accused Akeredolu of failing to follow due process in handing over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“The people in Nigeria are always fine with whatever is thrown their way.
“But our level of conscience and consciousness will not allow us to be comfortable with what is illegal and unacceptable with democratic practice.
“So Akeredolu handed over power. But there was no transparency in the instrument of handover.
“The letter sent to the State House of Assembly was not made public. The letter was not signed.
‘We were not satisfied with that. That was why we went ahead on Saturday, despite all the threats, to ask the man to resign.
“DSS and non-state actors threatened physical harm to us. DSS convinced the DG of Akure not to give us a hall. We were not given a hall until the morning of the programme.
People who came for the town hall meeting were being chased away. They were told that the meeting was cancelled, until I showed up,” he said.
Sowore also told Breakfast Central that, the idea of Governor Akeredolu going on medical leave when he was yet to officially resume duty from the first leave taken, sounded like an oxymoron; two contrasting things placed side by side.
“The governor never returned from the first leave!
“The idea of a medical leave when you haven’t returned from the first one is like an oxymoron,” he said.
Speaking on his thoughts towards Akeredolu’s overall performance as Governor of Ondo state, Sowore said he was far from being impressed with how the Governor has been handling the affairs of the state.
“Akeredolu’s seven years in office have been a waste. There is nothing to show for it.
“They can’t even pay cleaners cleaning the state.
“But within that period that he has been gone, 7.9billion disappeared from the state treasury.
“Akerereodu is the most expensive ghost worker in Nigeria’s history,” he said.
When asked to share his thoughts on the acting Governor’s capacity, Sowore said he knew nothing about him, as he barely goes about visiting politically exposed persons at their residences.
The AAC presidential candidate also claimed elections were not conducted in 2023.
“I don’t know him. That’s strange. I met him just casually at an event. I don’t know most of these political officeholders.
“I have never been to the office of the Governor of Ondo state before.
“I have never been to any government residence in Nigeria. I would have gone to Aso Rock if I had been sworn in as Nigeria’s President. Unfortunately, elections were not held in 2023,” he said.
Governor Akeredolu’s Medical Leave
A week ago, the Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu formally transferred power temporarily to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa as he commenced yet another medical leave.
The move caused an uproar from opposition parties who demanded that he resign immediately, or hand over power to Aiyedatiwa as stated by the 1999 constitution.