Ondo: Alleged Forgery Of Gov Akeredolu’s Signature Under Investigation – SAN

By Ayodele Oni

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Kayode Ajulo, has accused some Cabinet members in the Government of Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, of being the brain behind alleged forgery of the Governor’s signature.

The State Commissioner for information, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, had, last week dismissed the rumour that the Governor’s signature was being forged on some documents, and insisted that Akeredolu still personally goes through them before appending his signature.

But Ajulo, an indigene of the State insisted that “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 hale (sic) 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 into the issue as such, and they have been contacted, but their results after the investigation are so damning.

“The purported signature is not from the Governor. It is so apparent.” He also alleged that the cabals were signing documents on behalf of the ailing Governor.

Ajulo made the allegation when he appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme on Monday.

He pointed out that it was not possible for the Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to take over from the Governor since power has not been transferred to him constitutionally.

This, he said, has given the cabals the opportunity to hijack State Governance.

The lawyer maintained that the doctrine of necessity, which allowed the deputy governor to take over the reign of power till the governor resumes should be activated.

Ajulo noted that there is a presumption that the Governor is incapacitated, adding that the only way to counter that is to present 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 he can since his health status is being funded with the same taxpayers’ money, or he should do the necessary constitutional duties, which is to delegate power to his Deputy.

“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.”

President Bola Tinubu last week waded into the political crisis rocking the state, and asked the opposing factions to embrace peace and maintain the status quo.