Lawyer says Ondo cabinet members impersonating Akeredolu’s signature in documents

Kayode Ajulo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on Monday, claimed that several officials in the Ondo State governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s administration, were signing documents on the sick governor’s behalf.

Ajulo, the Principal Partner of Kayode Ajulo & Co. Castle of Law, made the claim on the Morning Show on Arise Television.

He claimed that because the governor’s authority has not been legally delegated to the deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the cabals have been able to seize control of state governance.

He said, “I have it on good authority as a lawyer. Some of the commissioners, about five of them, sent memos to the governor, and they all returned with approval.

“Going through the approval compared to what the governor had approved when he was hail and hearty, there are notable disparities in them.

“The Police and Administration of Justice Act has made it clear that there can be private investigators who have been contacted because of the issue, and their results are so damning. In fact, EFCC needs to visit Ondo State to ask some questions.

“The purported signature is not from the governor. It is so apparent.”

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The lawyer argued that the necessity doctrine, which gave the deputy governor the authority to assume leadership until the governor returned, ought to be accepted.

Ajulo pointed out that the governor is presumed to be incapable, and the only way to refute that is by introducing him (Akeredolu).

“Why are some people sitting on the provisional constitutions? It is obvious that some people are holding the state by the jugular and using the present situation to loot the state’s wealth.

“DSS recently has been going around. Other security agencies should embrace the same. Questions bordering on the missing N7.5 billion in the state should be asked, and who gave the approval should not be left out.

“The governor owes it a duty to speak with his people if his health can since he’s been funded with the same taxpayer’s money or do the necessary constitutional duties.

“His deputy was selected by him and possibly his party members before he ran for office. I don’t think he would have selected someone he had no trust in,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu had intervened in the situation and urged the opposing sides to accept peace and preserve the status quo, potentially putting an end to the state’s months-long leadership crisis.

This was as the Deputy Governor pledged to carry all commissioners and officials along in handling the state’s affairs, and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Oladiji Olamide, resolved to halt all impeachment moves against Aiyedatiwa.

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