Presented with another opportunity to raise the bar of democratic governance to global standards, Nigeria’s political leadership, instead dug the country further into a rut. For six months, governance has alternated between abeyance, inertia, and auto-pilot in Ondo State, following the illness of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who has been absent from duty and the state capital, Akure. Whereas decorum, and respect for the five million residents of the state demand that the governor step down, party leaders, led by President Bola Tinubu, have elevated party conviviality over public interest.
The charade is nauseating; the governor should immediately surrender the reins of government to tend to his health, failing which the state executive council or the legislature should remove him in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
The drama is another setback for Nigeria’s democracy. For over one year, Akeredolu has been very ill. For some time, he relocated to Ibadan, Oyo State, from where he and his inner circle were running Ondo. Later, he flew to Germany for treatment, spending three months in the European country.
On his return, his family and aides took him to Ibadan, from where they are pretending that he is running Ondo State.