Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke
By John Dike, Osogbo
A fresh constitutional storm may be brewing in Osun State as the Civil Society Coalition has demanded an urgent clarification over who is currently exercising executive authority in the state following Governor Ademola Adeleke’s departure for Europe on vacation.
The coalition, in a strongly worded statement issued in Osogbo on Tuesday, put the state government on the spot, asking it to disclose whether Adeleke formally transmitted the powers and functions of his office to his Deputy Governor before leaving the country.
The group warned that the governor’s absence must not create a constitutional vacuum or leave residents guessing about who is legally in charge of the affairs of the state.
The statement was signed by the coalition’s Chairman, Comrade Dr. Waheed Lawal, and Secretary, Comrade Olowu Emmanuel.
The intervention followed the governor’s announcement that he had travelled to Europe for a vacation, during which he would also undergo medical examinations.
While acknowledging Adeleke’s right to take a vacation, the CSOs said the development raised a fundamental constitutional question: Was the required formal declaration transmitting the functions of the governor’s office made before his departure?
The coalition anchored its demand on Section 190(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provides for a governor proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office to transmit a written declaration to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Consequently, the group demanded that the government publicly confirm whether Adeleke had transmitted such a declaration to the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.
It further demanded that, if the declaration had been made, the government should disclose the date it was transmitted.
According to the coalition, such disclosure would promote transparency, constitutional accountability and certainty over the exercise of executive authority during the governor’s absence.
But the CSOs issued an even stronger demand.
They gave the government 48 hours to complete the constitutional process if no written declaration had been transmitted.
The coalition said its position was not politically motivated, insisting that its concern was strictly about constitutional compliance and continuity of government.
“The people of Osun State deserve certainty as to who is exercising executive authority at any given time,” the group said.
It cautioned the government against relying on assumptions, informal arrangements or administrative convenience where the Constitution provides a specific procedure.
The coalition also turned its attention to the Osun State House of Assembly, calling on the Speaker to ensure that the constitutional requirement was complied with and that there was no ambiguity regarding the status of executive authority while Adeleke remained outside the country.
The group said the matter should not be dismissed as a mere political controversy, stressing that constitutional procedures exist to guarantee the uninterrupted functioning of government.
Interestingly, despite raising the alarm over the governor’s absence, the coalition wished Adeleke well on his vacation and medical examinations.
It, however, maintained that goodwill towards the governor could not override constitutional obligations.
“Personal goodwill towards the Governor cannot take precedence over constitutional requirements,” the coalition stated.
“The Constitution must be obeyed. The right thing must be done. And it must be done within the next 48 hours.”
The development is expected to generate fresh debate across Osun, particularly over the constitutional consequences of a governor travelling outside the country without publicly established evidence of a formal transfer of executive functions.
