The Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Ojo has dragged the State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to court over alleged attempts to remove her from office.
Ruling on an exparte application brought by the CJ, Justice J.D. Peters of the National Industrial Court on Thursday issued a restraining order directing the governor to stop all attempts directed at removing the Chief judge.
The CJ who is from the same town as the governor also joined in the suit, the Attorney General of Osun State, the State Judicial Service Commission and the State Accountant General.
The judge granted “an order of interim injunction is issued restraining the Defendants by themselves or their agents or privies however so-called from interfering with removing, reversing or terminating the appointment and conditions of service of the Applicant as the Hon. Chief Judge of Osun State including but not limited to salaries and other pecuniary benefits pending the determination of the interlocutory application.”
It also gave an order “mandating the 4th defendant (Accountant General) to continue to pay the salary, entitlements, emoluments and other benefits and moneys the applicant is entitled to as the Hon. Chief Judge of Osun State pending the determination of the interlocutory application.”
On the security of the CJ, the court ordered that “taking cognisance of the gender of the Applicant as a wife, a mother and a grandmother, the first defendant (Governor Adeleke) as the Chief Security Officer of Osun State with keys to all security apparatus is ordered and directed to ensure adequate protection to the applicant from all forms of harassment and from all quarters pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.”
The Judge further directed the Attorney General to advise all the other defendants “on the imperative of complying fully with the orders of this Court” while the case was adjourned to December 12, 2023 to hear the pending motion on notice.
