TheCable

Kayode Ajulo, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has alleged that some government officials in Ondo are forging the signature of Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of the state, on documents.

Speaking in an interview on Arise TV, Ajulo said the absence of Akeredolu has created a huge vacuum in the state.

Akeredolu has been absent from the state since June 2023 due to medical reasons.

Akeredolu returned to Nigeria in the first week of September after a three-month medical leave in Germany

Since returning to the country, Akeredolu has been in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

The absence of Akeredolu from Ondo has become a source of concern to many stakeholders within and outside the state.

Reacting to the development, the lawyer said some cabals have hijacked the governance of the state since Akeredolu did not properly hand over to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his deputy.

The lawyer said the deputy governor should be the acting governor in the absence of the governor, adding that any other arrangement is illegal.

“Recently, there were some memos which were purportedly approved by the governor (Akeredolu),” he said.

“The same governor we are looking for. By the time one of them was sent to my office, we ran a check on those signatures.

“As a private investigator, I checked all the documents and found that everything is forged. And the accusing finger is pointed at one or two people.

“I have it on good authority as a lawyer. Some of the commissioners, about five of them, sent memos to the governor, and the memos came back with purported approval of the governor.

“Going through the approval particularly the signature, checking it with all other approvals done when the governor was well, there were disparities.

“The Police Act and Administration of Criminal Justice Act have made it clear that there can be private investigators. Private investigators have been contacted. Their report is very damning.

“The purported signature is not from the governor. It is so obvious.”