Ajulo Faults Ojudu’s Corruption Comments On Nigeria’s Judiciary

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State, Dr Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, has faulted a comment attributed to Sen. Babafemi Ojudo, alleging that Nigeria’s justice is for sale.

Ajulo, in a statement on Thursday entitled: “Is Justice Truly for Sale in Nigeria? A Necessary Balance to Senator Ojudu, “How They Buy the Judges & Break the Country”, described Ojudu’s allegation as unfair to the nation’s judicial system.

He said, “If Ojudu’s narrative is left unchallenged, it may become an unfair yardstick and statistics for judging the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary and the many noble men and women who serve within it.

“We must also acknowledge Ojudu’s courage in bringing his concerns into the open. His voice has shaped public debate for decades. It is also in this same spirit of open engagement that I offer this necessary balance.

Ajulo argued that Ojudu failed to highlight the positive encounters he equally enjoyed within the same justice system, noting that it is necessary to assist him by offering context, perspective, and my own experiences drawn from 25 years of legal practice.

“Corruption is a truth that applies to every sector, and where it exists, it is not the exclusive disease of any single arm of government or profession.

“I reject the dangerous insinuations that suggest all judges or judicial processes are compromised.  We know such stereotypes circulate. It is unjust to condemn an entire institution because of the failings of a few.

“Ojudu forgot that one of his greatest political victories was delivered, not by political power, but by the judiciary he now paints with such broad strokes,” he said.

Ajulo noted that when Sen.  Bode Ola of Ekiti challenged Ojudu’s senatorial mandate (Ekiti Central) after the Action Congress primaries, it was the judiciary that resolved the matter.

“The respected human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, a major contributor to my practice, personally reached out to me to handle the case.

“I initially expressed reservations because I was then a committed chieftain of the Labour Party, serving as its Acting Legal Adviser before becoming the National Secretary. The party was the ruling party in my home state, Ondo State, and I had contested for the FCT Senate seat under its platform in Abuja.

“However, Falana insisted that the matter was not about politics but trust, character, and integrity. And so, despite the political implications, we began the long but purposeful journey from the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal and then to the Supreme Court.

“At no point in that process was there ever a hint of bribery or corruption. We prepared meticulously, relying solely on law, facts, and logic.

“ We won at every stage, from the Federal High Court, to the Court of Appeal and then to the apex, the Supreme Court, without inducing anyone, without buying influence, and without compromising our values.

“This is the side of the judiciary Ojudu benefited from, the side thousands of Nigerians experienced daily,” Ajulo stated.