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From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Constitutional lawyer and human rights Activist, Dr Tunji Abayomi has said that the quick intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bring the political crisis in Ondo and Rivers States to an end was appropriate in order to unite the country.
According to him, President Tinubu is constitutionally empowered to intervene in Ondo and Rivers States.
He said he vehemently disagreed with former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Raji Fashola on his position on the political crisis in Ondo and Rivers States.
Fashola had posited that “the Constitution assigns no role to the President in the mater”
But Abayomi while criticising Fashola over his comments in a statement issued in Akure, the Ondo State capital said “it Is important to correct Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) so that our people in Ondo and Rivers States as well as the national audience may be guided by Constitutional knowledge.”
The lawyer said neither the President, the Governor, government of the federation nor of the several states is specifically granted the power to settle disputes of any kind and that none of them is granted what in Constitutional parlance is called “enumerated” or express powers to settle disputes.
His words: “Does the Constitution then expect or presume that disputes should be allowed to fester? This cannot be the intention of the Constitution that is established so that the people will “live in unity and harmony” and for the purpose of “promoting good government”, “unity of our people” as well as for “peace and order”.
“Let it be understood clearly, contrary to the position of Mr. Fashola that it is this Constitution that President Tinubu in the Seventh Schedule to the 1999 Constitution swore to the best of his ability to preserve, protect and defend.
“An elected Governor is vested with the Executive powers of the State where he is elected and to assure the execution and maintenance of the Constitution and the laws. Under Section 5 of the Constitution the same executive powers, this time of the Federation, is vested in the President,” he added.
