Alleged Forgery of Akeredolu’s Signature: Unmasking Impersonators Shielding Forgers, By Allen Sowore

On December 4, 2023, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, recently appointed as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, raised grave concerns on Arise Television. He alleged that certain officials within the Ondo state government have been signing official documents using the name of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu SAN CON. This accusation lends weight to my earlier claims that certain members of the administrative circle have been forging the governor’s signature to grant approvals for projects and programmes, primarily for their personal gain. In fact, credible information indicates that at least seven commissioners have obtained approvals with these forged signatures over the past five months.

In their customary manner of concealing such wrongdoing, the Chief Press Secretary, now serving as the spokesperson for the Cabal, hastily released a statement to refute these obvious facts. Although the press statement was swiftly removed from various news media platforms, some outlets are still treating it as the official government response.

As Dr. Kayode Ajulo highlighted in the notable interview, the prevailing assumption is that Governor Akeredolu is either absent or a victim of a political gang — even if he communicates from his unknown location his statements might be deemed involuntary, obtained under duress, inducement, or promise of reward. Therefore, it is only logical and imperative for the governor himself to step forward to address all speculations regarding his status and dismiss allegations of a forged signature.

Anyone issuing statements on behalf of the governor is, by extension, an impostor, an usurper, and an impersonator who should face interrogation and subsequent punishment. Both sections 108 and 467 of the Criminal Code address impersonation and forgery, with subsection 3(a) specifically addressing the forging of the President’s or a Governor’s signature, carrying a sentence of fourteen years’ imprisonment.

Let’s hypothetically assume that the governor indeed instructed someone to issue the aforementioned rebuttal. The assertion that only the governor can raise concerns about his forged signature lacks logic. As the governor whose signature authorizes government transactions, any individual, government agency, or public institution handling sensitive government documents has the right to question perceived irregularities in the governor’s signature. Most importantly, it’s a global best practices that every patriotic citizen reports or alert security agencies about the commission of a crime.

The Chief Press Secretary also ignorantly demanded evidence from Dr. Kayode Ajulo SAN regarding the forged signatures. It’s crucial to educate that the presentation of evidence and the prosecution of defendants occur in court, not necessarily through newspaper publications.

Names of certain civil servants actively involved in this matter are surfacing, shedding light on the reasons why the Adviser on Special Duty and Union Matters, Dare Aragbaye, consistently maintains his brother-in-law’s presence in the Government House and Protocols, following the departure of the former Permanent Secretary, now a prominent traditional ruler.

Moreover, a diligent Protocol Officer, who supposedly sought Governor Akeredolu’s approvals for files taken to Ogbese River, is now perturbed by these unfolding revelations.

There is a popular Yoruba phrase in Christendom that loosely translates to “no sinner shall go unpunished.” Elese kan kọ̀nilo laijiya.

• Allen Sowore, a lawyer, formally one of Akeredolu/Aiyedatiwa’s Special Assistants, is a counsel at Law Corridor.