A former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, has said President Bola Tinubu has no right to interfere in the Ondo and Rivers states political crises as he recently did.
The Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, faced calls for his resignation following his ill health which necessitated trips overseas to get medical attention.
On the other hand, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State locked horns with his predecessor and political godfather, Mr Nyesom Wike, including the 27 lawmakers from the state who defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Mr Tinubu waded into the crisis and made the warring parties sign an accord with terms that primarily benefits Mr Wike, currently serving as the Federal Capital Territory minister in his administration.
Speaking last Saturday at the Nigerian Air Force Officers Mess Forum’s annual lecture, Mr Fashola asserted that since the President was not authorised by the constitution to intervene in state politics.
He added that he should not be consulted on such issues and feuds that fell outside his purview.
“Does the constitution assign a role to the President in this matter?” queried Mr Fashola, who served as the minister of works under the immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
He queried whether those goading on the President to wade into state political disputes were ignorant of the law which does not permit such an action from him.
Mr Fashola stated, “Are those inviting the President to act in Ondo and in Rivers states not aware that the President has no constitutional role in these matters?”
He also advised the “leadership in Rivers State” to “do the needful” instead of looking up to the President to clean up their mess each time they erred.
