The Osun State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has declared an indefinite strike following tear gas fired at protesting workers by the police.
The JUSUN chairman, Oluwagbemiga Eludire, who announced the strike on Wednesday, said it was necessary in order to put a stop to mismanagement of the judiciary in the state.
The workers had, on Monday, held a protest over their dissatisfaction with the Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, and the management’s handling of judicial affairs in the state.
Eludire said Justice Ojo declared war against workers, adding that the union would not back down except answers were provided to the questions asked by the embattled CJ.
He said the union picket the office of the Chief Judge for the purpose of trashing unresolved issues which include the unlawful suspension of some of its members for over 57 months without a recourse to the Judicial Service Commission.
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“The stoppage of training of judiciary workers at the NJI despite adequate provision and non payment of wardrobe allowances for judiciary workers despite adequate provision of same in the budget,” he stated.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, had, on November 16, approved the suspension of Ojo, following recommendations of the state state lawmakers.
A statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said the resolution passed was to give the lawmakers room to investigate the allegations against the Chief judge.
Rasheed stated that Governor Adeleke also approved the appointment of Justice Olayinka Afolabi as the Acting Chief Judge of the state.
The swearing-in of Afolabi as acting CJ, however, did not hold as the deputy governor, Kola Adewusi, scheduled to oversee the event, and Justice Afolabi did not show up at the venue of the exercise on November 17.
The NJC also did not give approval for the suspension of Justice Ojo and for her replacement by Justice Afolabi.
On November 19, Adeleke reversed himself and denied that he suspended Justice Ojo from office.
The Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, who made this known in a statement, said the governor did not appoint any judicial officer as acting Chief Judge.
He added that Governor Adeleke only recommended the acting Chief Judge to the NJC, being the most senior in line.
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