Court orders Ondo Assembly to appoint medical panel on Akeredolu’s health

The controversies surrounding the health status of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and his failure to resume office since returning from a medical vacation in Germany months ago took a new twist on Wednesday.

This was as an Ondo State High Court, sitting in Akure, granted leave to applicants in a suit, seeking an Order of Mandamus to compel the House of Assembly and the Speaker to constitute a medical panel to assess Governor Akeredolu’s health status.

The suit was brought before the court by Olufemi Lawson, Isijola Kike, Ologun Ayodeji, and Arogbo Olaniyi.
The call for a medical panel is to provide clarity on Governor Akeredolu’s health, having been away from the state for nearly six months. The applicants filed an exparte motion before the court on October 25, 2023.

It was brought before the court according to section 6(6b) of the 1999 constitution as amended as well as order 22 rule 1 of the Ondo State High Court rules.

The applicants prayed for an order of mandamus against the first and second respondents to compel them to carry out statutory and constitutional duties on the third respondent as stipulated under section 189(4) of the 1999 constitution.

They predicated their application on 11 grounds and in line with the rules of court, the applicant’s statement of claim and a 30-paragraph affidavit.
Upon the submission of the legal team of the applicant led by Dotun Ajulo, Fadeshola Ojamomi, A.V Ajayi, and K.A Mogbojuri, the court ruled thereof.

Justice A. I Kolawole ruled that the hurdles and lacuna associated with Public Interest litigation have since been set aside in the case of Adetona vs the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Inakoju v Adeleke.

The Court, therefore, granted leave for mandamus to compel first and second respondent to carry out their constitutional duties according to section 189(4) of the 1999 constitution as amended.