The Ondo State Government has debunked a media report that the state High Court has granted an order mandamus compelling the state House of Assembly and the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, to constitute a medical panel to assess Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s health.
The state government described the report as fake, saying it was not the true reflection of what happened in court.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Charles Titiloye, stated this while reacting to the report on his Facebook page on Thursday.
It was titled ‘Re: Fake news of court orders and court proceedings circulating on online platforms.’
Titiloye explained that the true position of the court proceeding on the matter was that the court granted leave for the applicants to apply for mandamus and serve parties in the case.
He said, “It should be noted that in an application for mandamus, a party must first seek the leave of court to apply for mandamus. It is thereafter that all parties will be served and heard. It is untrue that the order being sought by the applicants has been granted, as reported above.
“As of today, the Ondo State Government has not been served with the court processes or heard in the matter. The above sensational news smirks grave political desperation, and the Office of Attorney General warns those spreading fake news capable of igniting civil unrest in Ondo State to desist or face appropriate legal action.
“The Attorney General of Ondo State, as the Chief Law Officer, will not be cowed into submitting the state to anarchy or abdicating its responsibilities under glaring orchestrated blackmail by political desperados scheming to take over power through extralegal means.”
The AG warned lawyers to desist from media trials while their case had not been concluded in court, describing it as unethical to the law profession.
“Let it be known that when a dispute has been submitted to the court of competent jurisdiction, it is unethical and a grave misconduct for counsels to embark on a media war in an attempt to intimidate or blackmail the court to reach a certain conclusion on their cases.
“This matter is subjudice, and the office of Attorney General will not be dragged into a media trial of cases pending before the court of competent jurisdiction,” he added.
For the past few months, Akeredolu has been off duty due to ill health.
He travelled to Germany for a medical vacation and handed over power to his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in an acting capacity.
The PUNCH reports that the governor returned to the country in September, and he has since been staying at his private residence in Ibadan, where he is still recuperating.
On his return, Akeredolu wrote to the Assembly to inform them of his return and the assumption of his official duties.
To this end, many groups have been calling on the state House of Assembly to adopt the doctrine of necessity for the power to be handed over to the deputy governor, Aiyedatiwa.
