Governor Adeleke Denies Suspending Osun Chief Judge

The Osun State Government, led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, has denied claims that the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Oyebola Ojo, was suspended.

Naija News recalls that Justice Ojo approached the National Industrial Court, Ibadan division, over the move to remove her.

The presiding judge, Justice Dele Peters, following the appeal before the court, granted a restraining order to Governor Adeleke and three others from removing her.

However, Justice Ojo was suspended, and Adeleke ordered that Justice Yinka Afolabi be sworn into an acting capacity pending the time Osun State House of Assembly will investigate the petition filed against her.

Meanwhile, the state government, through the commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, in a statement released on Friday, noted that the petition and preliminary actions on the Osun state Chief Judge have been sent to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

He affirmed that Governor Adeleke had not defied any court order, stressing that “the Osun State House of Assembly that confirmed the appointment of Adepele Ojo, asked her to step aside is not a party to any ongoing case or Court Order.

“It is safe to assert that all that is being posted online are mere stunts as the government is not aware of any pending case at this material moment. We also call the attention of the public that the misappropriated money over which the investigation is being carried out was appropriated by the State House of Assembly and the body has the constitutional right to inquire how the money appropriated was applied.

“The staff of Osun State Judiciary, who are being denied their right by the Chief Judge and some of who joined in the petition, are employees of the Osun State Government under the authority of OSHA. We reassure the public that appropriate representation has been made to the National Judicial Council, over the development and we affirm that the Chief Judge was not suspended by the Governor, as being mischievously represented by some sections of the media.”

He enlightened that the State Assembly on the premise that an official cannot be on the seat whilst an investigation is ongoing, asked the Chief Judge to step aside.

He added: “The Governor only acted on the resolution of the House. To ensure there is no vacuum, the Governor appointed an Acting Chief Judge, as prescribed by the Constitution in a situation like this. It is therefore the responsibility of the State Assembly to inform the public, NJC, and the Governor about its findings, on the conclusion of its investigation, and also make resolutions on the next line of action.

“We want to put it on record that the Governor is a law-abiding person and will not do anything to compromise the rule of law. Whenever the court processes are served on the persons listed as Defendants in the alleged suit ( if any), they would take appropriate steps to react.”