Despite the denial by Osun State government of the plot to remove the State’s Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved the resolution of the State House of Assembly asking the CJ to step aside from her position.
Governor Adeleke has consequently appointed Justice Olayinka David Afolabi as the acting Chief Judge of Osun State with immediate effect following the approval of the resolution of the House of Assembly.
Recall that Coalition of Osun State Civil Society Groups had on Wednesday warned against the plot to remove the Chief Judge.
However, it was also gathered that CJ Adepele Ojo had dragged the Governor Adeleke before the National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan over the plans to remove her from office.
In the motion dated November 15, 2023, the plaintiff was seeking “an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants by themselves or their agents or privies, however so called from interfering with, removing, reversing or terminating the appointment and conditions of service of the claimant as the Chief Judge of Osun State, including but not limited to salaries and other pecuniary benefits, pending the determination of the interlocutory application.”
But, a statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday, said that the governor approved the removal following a resolution of the Osun State House of Assembly of November 16, 2023, that the Executive arm of government should be informed of the House resolution and that the next in order of seniority to Justice Adepele Ojo be sworn-in immediately to avoid any vacuum in the third arm of government in the State.
According to Rasheed, the House resolved that, “Having received various petitions against the Chief Judge of Osun State bothering on gross misconducts, abuse of office, corruption and lack of respect for due process and rule of law, this Honourable House, in performance of its oversight functions and exercise of its investigative powers vested by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) hereby resolved as follows:
“That the Committee on Judiciary, Public Petitions and Legal Matters investigate the petitions against the Chief Judge of Osun State, Honourable Justice Adepele Ojo, by inviting the Chief Judge and report to the House within 7 days from today.
“That pending the outcome of the investigation, the Chief Judge of Osun State, Honourable Justice Adepele Ojo should step aside, not for any disciplinary action, but to allow for proper investigation of the allegations
“That while she steps aside pending the investigation, the Executive Governor should immediately swear-in the next judge in order of Seniority as the Acting Chief Judge of Osun State.
“The the Executive should immediately notify the National Judicial Council and the State Judicial Service Commission of the resolutions of this House immediately for their awareness.
“That the Clerk of this House should forward the resolutions of this House to the Executive, the National Judicial Council and the State Judicial Service Commission.”
Meanwhile, following the approval of the resolution of the House by the Governor, the Deputy Governor has been directed by the Governor to perform the swearing-in ceremony of the Acting Chief Judge of Osun State which will be held on Friday at the Executive Lounge, Governor’s Office, Osogbo, the statement added.
