Adeleke backtracks on suspension of Osun chief judge

The Osun state government says Oyebola Ojo, chief judge of the state, has not been removed from office.

On Thursday, Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, suspended Ojo from office and approved the appointment of Olayinka Afolabi as the acting chief judge.

Ojo was suspended despite an order by the National Industrial Court restraining the governor from removing her from office.

Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday had directed the swearing-in of Olayinka Afolabi as acting CJ.

However, the swearing-in which was scheduled for Friday, did not hold.

In a statement on Sunday, Kolapo Alimi, Osun commissioner for information and civic orientation, said Adeleke did not suspend the chief judge.

Alimi said the governor had only forwarded the resolution of the house of assembly, and recommendations for an acting appointment, to the chief justice of the federation for his action.

“Governor Adeleke has only duly notified the chief justice of the federation as the chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) in writing about the resolutions of the House of Assembly following a series of petitions made against the sitting Chief Judge of Osun State,” the statement reads.

“In the communication, Mr. Governor intimated the CJN of the recommendation of the house that the chief judge should step aside and include his own submission for an acting appointment to fill the vacuum while the NJC reviews and decides on the petition.

“To that end, the governor in the same letter recommended to the CJN, the appointment of the most senior judicial officer, Hon. Justice Olayinka David Afolabi for thorough consideration and further processing by the same NJC through the CJN.

“In the communication, Mr. Governor intimated the CJN of the recommendation of the assembly that the chief judge should step aside.

“And he included his own submission for an acting appointment to fill the vacuum while the NJC reviews and decides on the petition.

“We urge the public to note that while the house of assembly recommended the appointment of a replacement to the governor in its resolution, the governor, however, toed the line of law by writing the CJN on the entire development and submitting all materials for NJC, as a mandated national agency.

“We, therefore, wish to state categorically that Gov. Adeleke has not appointed any judicial official as acting Chief Judge and nobody has been sworn-in as acting Chief Judge of Osun State.”