The Ondo State chapter of the Labour Party on Wednesday reacted to the reversal of the plan to confer an honorary doctorate degree on eminent Lagos lawyer and Human Rights crusader, Chief Gani Fawehinmi by the authorities of the State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University allegedly on the order of Governor Olusegun Agagu describing the development as one that could only come from a demented mind given Fawehinmi’s immense contributions to the nation and the State in particular.

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Fawehinmi, an indigene of Ondo State, had last weekend accused Agagu of masterminding the reversal of the award to be conferred on him by the varsity because he has been a long standing critic of his administration. He specifically berated Agagu for interfering with the conventional academic independence of the varsity by this action.

But in its official reaction to the development, LP, in a release signed by its Director of Press, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, regretted that Gani Fawehinmi, an internationally acclaimed lawyer and Human Rights activist par excellence and whose contributions to the development of the nation and his home State, could not be trammeled, should be so treated with such odium and ignominy by Agagu depicts a mind that needs urgent attention.

Says the LP’s spokesman: “We are indeed scandalized by this action of Dr Olusegun Agagu against such a person like Chief Oyesola Gani Fawehinmi. This could only come from a sick and demented mind. We regret to remind the whole world that while Agagu and his acolytes were jubilating in the Ondo Government House over the rumoured death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a man enamoured with the rule of law and one seen by Agagu as an obstacle to his attempt to subvert the judiciary in his quest to hang perpetually unto power, Chief Fawehinmi called on Nigerians of goodwill to pray fervently for Mr. President to get well in the interest of the nation.

“This illustrious Nigerian is the man, Agagu is now depriving of a mere honorary doctorate degree award just because he recently lauded the Judiciary for nullifying Agagu’s pyrrhic victory at the April 14, 2007 governorship election and urging him to accept the verdict in good faith rather than going to the appellate court.

“Well, we are not surprised, Agagu is known for his penchant to abandon the citizens of the State whom he swore under oath to protect. Early this year, Pa Benjamin Aderounmu, the blind minstrel popularly known as Kokoro who hails from Ondo State was sleeping on the streets of Lagos and despite our strident calls to Agagu to rehabilitate the old man, he demurred until Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola came to the man’s aid with the provision of a two-bedroom flat worth N3.1million in Lagos. For Agagu, it was a lost opportunity!

“Ditto was the case of Pa Orlando Owoh, another Ondo State citizen who was catered for by the governor of a neighbouring State when he was seriously sick and needed urgent assistance. Also last year, four indigenes of Ondo State brought honor to the State when they won national merit awards. Sadly, Agagu did not even deemed it fit to congratulate them talk less of being