Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has suspended the Chief Judge of the state, Adepele Ojo, from office.
This was made known in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday, November 16, 2023.
The National Industrial Court had earlier restrained Governor Adeleke from removing Ojo from office.
However, Rasheed noted that Adeleke approved the suspension of the Chief Judge after the resolution of the Osun State House of Assembly.
He stated that Adeleke ordered Ojo to step aside “pending investigation of allegations of misconduct, abuse of power, corruption and disregard for rule of law against her by the House of Assembly.”
He added that the governor also approved the appointment of Olayinka Afolabi as the new acting Chief Judge of the state.
Rasheed stated: “In the resolution of the Osun Assembly sitting today 16th November, 2023, the House resolved that the Executive 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 Osun State.
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“The House had earlier resolved as follows:
“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 tomorrow at the Executive Lounge, Governor’s Office, Osogbo.”
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