Adopt Doctrine Of Neccesity To Solve Ondo Crisis, Clark Tells Tinubu

The leader of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, on Sunday urged President Bola Tinubu, to adopt former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s eminent persons’ doctrine of necessity as the only way of resolving the political crisis in Ondo State.

Clark, in an open letter to President Tinubu, urged him to act fast to curb the crisis in the state just as he likened the situation to when late President Umaru Yar’Adua was sick and the Senate came up with the doctrine of necessity to tackle the situation.

The letter, entitled ‘urgent need to resolve the Ondo State impasse’, reads: “My letter may come to you as a surprise because I am not from the South-West geo-political zone, Ondo State in particular. “But as a senior citizen of our dear country, I sincerely believe that we have a duty to give you support and advice in all ramifications, particularly in solving the insecurity issues facing the country, and anything that can escalate it, in all parts, especially in the North-West. Every effort, should, therefore, be made, in this regard, to avert any crisis in any part of the country. 

“The on-going impasse in Ondo State can be likened to what happened when our dear late President, Yar’Adua, was very ill and did not transmit a letter to the National Assembly in accordance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, to enable the then Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to act as president. 

“I wish to recall that during the time, the nation was almost grinding to a halt because there was no one administratively in charge of the affairs of the country. Various groups such as the Save Nigeria Group, led by Pastor Tunde Bakare and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; socio-cultural organisations, ethnic organisations including some northern group, the South-Western group led by Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, etc, rose to protest in Lagos and Abuja. It was as though the nation was rudderless. 

“The Senate, under the leadership of David Mark, as Senate President, acted on the suggestion of the eminent persons group and declared Dr Jonathan, acting President under the Doctrine of Necessity on February 9, 2010. The House of Representatives followed suit by also adopting the Doctrine of Necessity. On February 10, 2010, Dr Jonathan was declared Acting President. 

“At this time, our dear President Yar’Adua was still at Saudi Arabia receiving medical treatment. On February 24, 2010, President Yar’Adua was brought back to the country under the cover of darkness, still very ill, and taken to the Villa, unknown to the Acting President. However, while President Yar’Adua was at the Villa ‘recuperating’, Dr Jonathan continued to act as the President of the country. Unfortunately, President Yar’Adua could not make it. He died on May 5, 2010. On May 6, 2010, Dr Jonathan was sworn-in as President and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in accordance with constitutional provisions.

Meanwhile, the Ondo Elite Assembly, yesterday, asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to invite the Energy and Minerals Resources Commissioner, Razaq Obe for questioning over the alleged forgery of Governor Akeredolu’s signature.

The group, in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr Yemi Oladiran, also demanded the prosecution of the Commissioner if found culpable.

Oladiran said that the group possesses “credible information indicating that Obe and others were responsible for fabricating documents containing the purported forged signature of the governor.”

The statement reads: ”These tactics are part of a larger plan to incite protests and cause chaos in the state.

“It is important for the people of the state to know that, after thorough investigation, we have discovered that the document allegedly in Obe’s possession was fabricated and did not originate from the governor.

“We urge the police, the Department of State Services, DSS, and other relevant agencies to summon Obe for questioning and thoroughly scrutinise both him and the documents in his possession. 

“It is imperative to contact Governor Akeredolu to verify whether he signed the document or not.