Christopher Alao-Akala

Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala (born June 3, 1950) is a Nigerian politician and the current Governor of Oyo State, Nigeria. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Appointed Governor

Christopher Alao-Akala first occupied the office of Governor on January 12, 2006 when as the deputy governor he replaced the governor Rasheed Ladoja, who had been impeached by the state House of Assembly. The impeachment was challenged in the courts on the basis of it being illegally carried out by the less than two-thirds majority requirement of the constitution. With only 18 of the 32-member House of Assembly voting in favor of removal, the majority claims that suspended members are not required to be considered in determining two-thirds majority.

Alao-Akala's term ended on December 12, 2006 after the Supreme Court upheld the judgement of the Appeal Court sitting in Ibadan which declared the impeachment process of Rasheed Ladoja null and illegal

Elected Governor

Christopher Alao-Akala was elected in the 2007 general election. The election was contested, but the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, the highest court of jurisdiction for Governorship election petitions in Nigeria, finally affirmed the election by dismissing all petitions against his election on March 17, 2009.

Chief Alao Akala, who holds the Yoruba aristocratic title of Otunba, erected a statue of the "Unknown Soldier" to replace that of the tribe's revered icon, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, causing widespread consternation across western Nigeria. In 2011, he however lost his re-election bid to Senator Abiola Ajimobi who he defeated in 2007 elections

References

• http://www.tribune.com.ng/14122006/news/news1.html
• http://allafrica.com/stories/200612111060.html