By Mohammed Bello Doka
After months of political deadlock in Ondo State due to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu's absence, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other key stakeholders from the All Progressives Congress (APC) reached a consensus yesterday to employ the doctrine of necessity. This principle aims to designate Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the embattled deputy governor, as the acting governor of the state. The decision was made during a meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where President Tinubu engaged with Akeredolu's cabinet members and Ondo State lawmakers.
Since his return from Germany on September 7, Governor Akeredolu has not set foot in Ondo State and is presently recuperating at his private residence in Ibadan. The impasse surrounding his absence, now spanning five months, is expected to be resolved through this new resolution. Consequently, the Ondo State House of Assembly is likely to reconvene on Monday to invoke the doctrine of necessity, granting Aiyedatiwa full powers to govern the state.
The doctrine of necessity is a legal principle that justifies extraordinary actions taken by administrative authorities to restore order or uphold fundamental constitutional principles, even if such actions go against established constitutions, laws, norms, or conventions. This doctrine gained prominence in Nigeria in 2010 during the absence of former President Umar Yar'Adua and the subsequent sidelining of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan from assuming the role of Acting President. At the time, Yar'Adua was hospitalized in Saudi Arabia and was unable to formally transfer power to his deputy. As a result, the National Assembly stepped in, invoking the doctrine of necessity to declare Goodluck Jonathan as the acting president, bypassing certain constitutional formalities typically required for such appointments.
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