Court restrains Adeleke from removing Osun Chief Judge

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has been stopped from sacking the State Chief Judge, Oyebola Ojo, by Justice Dele Peters of the National Industrial Court in Ibadan.

The judge gave the order after hearing an urgent plea by Justice Ojo through her lawyer, Oladipo Olasope, SAN. She sued Governor Adeleke, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the State Judicial Service Commission, and the State Accountant General.

She asked the court to stop the defendants or anyone acting for them from messing with, firing, reversing, or ending her service as the Chief Judge of Osun State.

The order issued on November 15, which was seen on Thursday, says: “I order an interim injunction to stop the defendants, or their agents or anyone, from messing with the removal, reversal, or ending of the appointment and service of the applicant as the Hon. Chief Judge of Osun State, including her salary and other money benefits, until the main application is decided.

“I also order the 4th Defendant to keep paying the salary, rights, money, and other benefits and cash the Applicant should get as the Hon. Chief Judge of Osun State until the main application is decided.

“I note that the applicant is a woman, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, and I order the 1st Defendant as the Chief Security Officer of Osun State with all the security powers to make sure the applicant is well protected from all trouble and from all sides until the case is heard and decided.

“Lastly, I order the 2nd Defendant, as the Chief Law Officer of Osun State, to advise the defendants well and the 1st Defendant, especially, to obey the orders of this Court fully.

“This order and all other papers in this case must be given to the defendants right away”.

The court then said the matter will continue on December 12, 2023, and the defendants should be told when to come.