History is repeating itself in Ondo State. It may be the fallout of the refusal to learn from the lessons of the past.
Also, some have attributed the brewing crisis in the state to a curious ill luck or stroke of fate. Others believe that it is a fait accompli.
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his deputy, Lucky Ayedatiwa, are at war. When this kind of face-off broke out in the past, it defied solution. Reconciliation was difficult, for obvious reasons.
During the week, the governor applied his hammer, following his return from a three-month medical leave in Germany. All the aides of the embattled deputy governor were axed. Fear has now gripped other members of the State Executive Council (Exco) over an imminent reshuffle.
The major issue is power, which is either constitutionally monopolised, reluctantly shared, or compulsorily delegated with reservation by the governor, who is the boss, to his deputy, who is perceived as a spare tyre.
The presidential system only bestows power and authority on one man-president or governor. The deputy governor is like a footnote, except the chief executive dies, or he is impeached by the House of Assembly, or he is totally incapacitated by illness. It is only under any of these rare circumstances that the lone deputy can enjoy substantial power. It is unlike the parliamentary system where the next-in-command to the prime minister or his successor is picked by the party with the majority in the Parliament.
Closely related is whether the beneficiary of seemingly shared power under the presidential system should be carried away by the relatively transient privilege to the extent that he now becomes oblivious to the limitations of the exercise of delegated executive power as acting governor.
The correct interpretation of the executive presidency is that in the Governor’s Office, the governor is the boss who fully calls the shots. Other functionaries, including the deputy governor, are clustered with the most junior Personal Assistants. They are perceived as the governor’s servants who are not expected to compete for prominence with the big boss.
The third dimension is human nature, which is brought to bear on constitutional interpretation of political roles. While the presidential system was suggested as a replacement for or better alternative to the parliamentary system in 1979 to prevent a scenario of “a nominal or ceremonial president working hollow to a power-loaded prime minister or head of government,” it has also unleashed a scenario of bitter feud between the President and Vice President, and between governors and their deputies in some states.
The pattern of governor-deputy rift in Ondo State, and Edo, is, in part, the consequence of the practice of presidentialism.
However, it is noteworthy that the governor-deputy crisis in Ondo State is usually associated with the politics of succession, which usually unfolds in varying dimensions. Reminiscent of previous dispensations, trust has broken down between Akeredolu and Ayedatiwa because certain mistakes or pitfalls were not avoided. Only a few indigenes, residents, and outsiders could be said to be neutral as the crisis escalated during the week. Tension engulfed the State Executive Council, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Aketi political family, and some parts of the state.
The problem with the political class is that when cracks appear on the wall of brotherhood, political actors usually lack the skill and the right disposition to agree on how to mend them. The split is worrisome, bearing in mind that the governor also parted ways with the man that Ayedatiwa replaced, Agboola Ajayi, who was accused of scheming against his boss, ahead of the last governorship election in the Sunshine State.
The Ondo State governor is not a typical Nigerian politician. Those who know him have testified that he is neither pretentious nor aberrant. Despite being an experienced lawyer, he is not favourably disposed to administrative dribbling and cajoling. He does not incite or promise what he cannot deliver. Highly principled, Akeredolu does not hide his feelings; he has little time for political diplomacy. Among his virtues is investing trust and confidence in his aides.
Conversely, he is swift to commence malice when trust is breached. The governor, like many leaders, loathes betrayal. He could be hot-tempered. But being the son of a priest, he forgives a lot. But, it is debatable if he can easily forget whenever he is seriously injured through backstabbing.
Details of the governor’s dispute with his deputy are unknown. However, it is obvious that their interests no longer align. Besides, the usual argument is that a governor only moves against his deputy if – and only if – the honorary number two man has seriously breached the code of loyalty, which is the sole criterion for political survival. Although Ayedatiwa has reiterated his loyalty to his boss, it seems his leader perceives this as an afterthought.
Why the deputy governor’s case has attracted more attention is that he was the governor’s choice when the more experienced and popular Agboola was dropped. Ayedatiwa was not imposed on Akeredolu. Besides, it was believed that the now embattled deputy governor was among those being considered for the governorship ticket ahead of next year’s election. He is from Ondo South District, where the ticket has been informally zoned.
In the past, and even now, the bone of contention between governors and deputies is the approach of the latter to the actualisation of the ambition to occupy the number one seat. It has often resulted in a clash of interests within the dominant, but fictionalised camp within the ruling platform. Instead of waiting for Akeredolu to fight the battle for the ticket for him, it appeared the deputy governor, in perceived insensitivity to past instructive lessons, made some political moves in the absence of his boss, which ultimately became his undoing.
Already, the deputy governor seemed to have an edge, following the relinquishing of power to him, as demanded by the constitution, when the governor embarked on the medical leave. He was proclaimed acting governor. But while in the eye of the constitution the acting governor is expected to take charge, it may be impracticable due to some political factors. The office of the deputy governor is a delicate place. Loyalty to the governor is not easily transferable to the acting governor. It is worse when the acting governor is also bidding for the governorship ticket, like some commissioners and other aides, who believe they only owe the governor their total submission.
As the practice of presidentialism in Nigeria has shown, the vice president and deputy governors who acted for their bosses in periods of illness usually have crosses to carry for their actions and inactions when the president or governors return from medical vacation. That is why during the emergency, a deputy governor, who wields temporary power, should exercise caution or restraint in anticipation of the day of reckoning. Besides, the deputy governor is in a vantage position to know that no number two man has ever triumphed over his boss. This is because conflicts are often resolved in favour of governors. Power resides with the Senior Excellency.
Historically, when a crisis broke out between former Ondo State Governor Adekunle Ajasin and his estranged deputy, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, over the 1983 electioneering, the deputy governor had to resign. Yet, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) governorship ticket still eluded him. He went to the rival National Party of Nigeria (NPN), where he also lost his deposit. Also, when a disagreement broke out between former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his deputy, Ali Olanusi, over defection, the deputy governor was impeached, in error, because he refused to follow his boss to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ayedatiwa also witnessed the war of attrition between Akeredolu and Ajayi. The former deputy governor lost the war.
The trend of appears the same across states: Olaniyan of Oyo, Abaribe of Abia, Aluko of Ekiti, Omisore of Osun, Agbaso and Madumere of Imo, Pedro of Lagos, Adesegun of Ogun, and Achuba of Kogi.
All these scenarios point to one fact: the influence of a deputy governor is limited. His scope of constitutional responsibility is restrictive. Therefore, running mates require coping implements, adjustment skills, and emotional intelligence that are critical to survival while playing the second fiddle.
