Osun House of Assembly yesterday passed a bill extending the retirement age of judges and other judicial officers from 65 to 70 years.
The bill is entitled: “Osun State High Court and Customary Court of Appeal Registrars, Secretary to the State Judicial Council, State Counsels in the Ministry of Justice, State Magistrates and District Customary Courts’ Presidents Retirement Age Bill, 2023.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill was passed during the plenary session, held at the assembly complex in Osogbo, after passing the third reading.
Speaker of the assembly, Mr Adewale Egbedun, said the final copy of the bill would be produced and forwarded to Governor Ademola Adeleke for his assent.
Egbedun expressed appreciation to his colleagues for the conduct of the 2024 budget presentation and defence by various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the state.
NAN reports that the budget defence exercise, which lasted for 11 days, saw 90 MDAs appearing before the House Committee on Budget and Appropriation, chaired by Mr Saheed Fatunmise.
The last set of MDAs that appeared before the committee on Monday included: Osun Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Osun East, Osun West and Osun Central Education District Offices.
Others were: Osun Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Osun Tourism Board and Osun Council for Arts and Culture
Parents and residents of Osogbo were thrown into panic as 18 pupils from St. James Primary School B, Owo-Ope, were hospitalised due to food poisoning linked to the government’s free school feeding programme.
The Nation gathered that pupils of the school developed complications after eating rice and egg prepared for them by food vendor agents of the O’ Meal programme on Monday, December 11.
A parent of three pupils of the school named Iya Taye disclosed that her children returned home weak after vomiting and frequent stooling.
She confirmed that her children started experiencing discomfort after eating the food in school.
She alleged saboteurs in the school feeding programme, noting that he children are receiving treatment at home.
She said: “I have invited doctor to treat my children. Other parent took their children to hospital but I have a doctor relation who helped me. My children are receiving treatment inside.”
A top source in the school confirmed that over 50 pupils were affected one way or the other over the food poisoning.
He said 18 of the of pupils were hospitalised, adding that government has intervened in the matter.
Meanwhile, Osun state government through the commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning.
He said the matter has been reported to the government by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Oluwaseyi Ayodele.
He noted: “The governor directed stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations. The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the Planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning.
“The governor has directed enforcement of food standard and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrence.”
“The government is settling the medical bills of the affected students as narrated by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola. The LGEA Chairman who was at the forefront of the intervention efforts disclosed that a total number of 18 students were treated and discharged.
“The total student population of the school is two hundred while one hundred and three are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme. A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students.“
Farmers in Ilobu community, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government of Osun State, yesterday protested against alleged harassment, intimidation and looting of their farm produce by indigenes of Ifon community.
Communal clash had ensued between Ilobu and Ifon communities over land dispute, which resulted in loss of lives and property in October, before Osun State Government intervened, ordering ceasefire.
After the clash, crisis has extended to over 10 villages in Oyo State where residents of the two communities are engaged in farming.
The leader of the protesters, Basiru Adegbenro, alleged that indigenes of Ifon were intimidating them with guns and other weapons, adding: “After the clash, people of Ifon community have been intimidating and harassing us. They burn our cash crops, loot farm produce, destroy our houses in the villages in Oyo State.
“They invaded Waale, Agana Amoo, Abebi, Oloso, Ojeyemi, Idi-Iroko, Bara, Toolu, Ikimon and Bada villages. They have turned us homeless and hopeless. We are poor now; we can hardly feed our family because the farm is the source of our livelihood.”
The National Publicity Secretary of Ilobu Development Union, Tairu Babatunde, said Ilobu farmers working in villages in Orolu Local Government were facing the same plight.
He demanded that the Osun State government and security operatives should intervene in the crisis before snowballing into another communal clash, and called for the arrest of the perpetrators.
Reacting to the protests, the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Boundary Matters, Bukola Onifade, berated the claims that some land belonged to Oyo State, saying: “Osun State owns the land they claim belongs to Oyo State. The people of Ilobu want to cede those land to Oyo State, they have applied to a court for that. We have also warned people of Ifon not to chase anybody out of their land. “
When contacted, the Secretary of Ifon Board of Trustees, Jide Akinyooye, could not be reached as his phone number was out of reach. He did not respond to the SMS sent to him at press time.
Farmers in the Ilobu community, headquarters of Irepodun local government area of Osun state, on Wednesday, December 6, protested against alleged harassment, intimidation, and looting of their farm produce by aggrieved indigenes of the Ifon community.
The Nation recalls that a communal clash ensued between Ilobu and Ifon communities over a land dispute which resulted in the loss of lives and property in October before the Osun state government intervened, ordering a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, after the clash, the crisis has extended to over 10 villages in Oyo state where residents of the two communities are engaged in farming activities.
The leader of the protesters; Basiru Adegbenro alleged that indigenes of Ifon are intimidating them with guns and other dangerous weapons, adding that, “after the war, people of Ifon community have been intimidating and harassing us, they burn our cash crop, loot farm produce, destroy our houses in the villages in Oyo state.
“They invaded Waale, Agana Amoo, Abebi, Oloso, Ojeyemi, Idi-Iroko, Bara, Toolu, Ikimon and Bada villages. They have turned us homeless and hopeless. We are poor now, we can hardly feed our family because the farm is the source of our livelihood.”
Similarly, the national publicity secretary of the Ilobu Development Union, Tairu Babatunde also disclosed that farmers of Ilobu farming in villages in Orolu local government are facing the same plight.
He demanded that the Osun state government and security operatives should intervene in the crisis before snowballing into another communal clash, calling for the arrest of perpetrators.
Meanwhile, reacting to the protests by farmers, the special adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on boundary matters, Bukola Onifade berated the claims that some lands belong to Oyo state, saying, “Osun state owned the land they claimed belongs to Oyo state. The people of Ilobu want to cede that land to Oyo State, and they have applied to a court for that. We have also warned people of Ifon not to chase anybody out of their land. ”
When contacted, by the Secretary of Ifon Board of Trustees, Jide Akinyooye, his phone number was out of reach and text messages put to his phone were not responded to as of when filing this report.
Some states are experiencing cash crunch as the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) no longer dispense money and banks ration cash withdrawal Over The Counter (OTC) by depositors.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) blamed the situation on ‘uneven cash flow and huge withdrawal by depositors ahead of the festivities.
Many Nigerians in some of the states already hit by the cash crunch expressed frustrations in accessing cash.
Some of the states already hit by the cash crunch, with commercial and other business activities experiencing some hitches, include Ondo, Edo, Kwara, Delta, Plateau, Jigawa and Osun among others.
In Plateau State, commercial banks were experiencing acute scarcity of cash, development that took a toll on business activities.
The Nation learnt that banks rationed cash to customers OTC in the banking hall. The ATMs were programmed to dispense limited cash. The queues were long.
In some of the banks within the Jos metropolis, only few ATMs dispensed cash. The others were deactivated because they were not loaded with cash.
The situation was, however, different in Katsina, the capital of Katsina State and other urban towns, where businesses continued without glitches.
The N1000 and N500 notes were in circulation,
In Dutse, Jigawa State, customers making bulk withdrawals from their banks had harrowing tales as commercial banks in the state cut the amount of cash paid they gave to their customers to a maximum of N20, 000.
Residents of Ilorin and environs in Kwara State were also hit by the cash crunch due to failure of commercial banks to load their ATMs with cash.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that some of the banks within the Ilorin metropolis that had cash in their ATMs pegged the amount collectable at between N5000 and N10, 000. OTC withdrawals ranged between N10, 000 and N50, 000.
Residents of Warri, Effurun and environs in Delta State, also expressed concerns over the stress they went through to access cash.
It was learnt that the cash squeeze in these areas had been on for over a month, arising from the failure of banks to facilitate adequate cash withdrawals.
A PoS operator at the popular Robinson Plaza, off Deco Road, Warri South Local Government Area, said several operators had resorted to buying cash from traders to keep doing their businesses because banks have been issuing little or no cash.
In Akure, the Ondo State capital, residents found it difficult accessing their money in commercial banks in the state. OTC maximum withdrawal was N20, 000.
There were no cash available in many ATMs visited in Akure. The few ones that dispensed cash could only get N20, 000
Osun State residents also groaned as PoS agents hiked withdrawal charges by 50 per cent.
Bank customers in Benin, Edo State also groan over the cash crunch.
Our reporter gathered yesterday in Benin that most of the crowded banks paid only N10, 000 to customers OTC. In Lagos State, banks commenced cash rationing for customers as the lenders contended with scarcity of both old and new naira notes.
Cash rationing had worsened in the past few days as customers found it difficult to access the required volume of cash for their daily expenditure.
Customers of some commercial banks in Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, Lagos branches of banks complained that lenders were not meeting their cash needs.
Customers could only make N10, 000 cash withdrawals from ATMs and N20, 000 from the banking halls of banks’ branches.
But in Anambra, Ogun, Bayelsa, Niger, Akwa-Ibom and Benue states, banks attended to customers without conditions.
Reacting to the cash crunch, the CBN put the blame on the doorstep of customers’ withdrawal patterns and the Supreme Court ruling.
Speaking to The Nation, a CBN official from the Currency Operations Department, explained that the current situation was primarily driven by two key factors namely, the uneven cash flow dynamics and the uncertainty over old naira notes.
According to the official, “during the festive season, individuals and businesses tend to withdraw large sums of money for holiday expenses, placing a strain on the banking system’s ability to meet the surging demand for cash.”
He said those rushing to have access to cash were still unaware of the latest Supreme Court verdict that the old and new notes remain legal tender indefinitely.
The CBN official said the apex bank was working closely with commercial banks to ensure adequate cash circulation.
He urged the public to play their part by depositing more money and utilising digital payment options.
There is tension in Awo community of Egbedore Local Government of Osun State, as Governor Ademola Adeleke is set to present staff of office to the monarch sacked by the Appeal Court as Alawo of Awo.
Osun State Government had appointed Adegboye Abdulrasaq as the Alawo-elect. However, four ruling houses of the community opposed the decision and approached the court.
However, the Court of Appeal on August 8, 2022 in suit number CA/AK/58 sacked the Alawo, Adegboye, warning that he should not parade himself as or perform any function of Alawo of Awo or wear any insignia of the office of Alawo.
December 9, 2023 has been fixed for Governor Adeleke to present instrument of office to Adegboye despite court judgment.
Four ruling houses comprising Abioye, Awojobi, Akinsilo and Okunji opposed the action of the state government, saying it was against the court verdict.
Speaking on behalf of the ruling houses, Prince Dhikrullahi Oloyede, addressing reporters in Osogbo yesterday, said there is tension in the community, adding that “if government goes ahead with installing the sacked monarch, people may take the law into their hands.”
He alleged that “against the Court of Appeal judgment, the biological sister of the governor, Dupe Adeleke, influenced the action of the governor to present staff of office to the deposed monarch after he (Adegboye) promised to install her and her husband as Bobajiroro of Awo land.”
“We have obtained restraining orders in suit number HEJ/13/2023 to stop the action, but if the government goes ahead, we have no option but to sue all officers concerned with contempt of court and commit them to prison. A stitch in time saves nine.”
The Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Adam Akintunde, promised to get back to our reporter, but he didn’t do so at press time.
Osun State Commissioner for Information, Kola Alimi, has said the government has built 90-km of roads in one year.
He was briefing reporters yesterday in Osogbo, the capital.
The commissioner said the government reconstructed 90 kilometres of road,
adding that 31 schools “has been fully rehabilitated.”
At the briefing with Alimi are spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed; Commissioner for Water Resources, Sunday Oroniyi; Commissioner for Political Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, Biyi Odunlade; Commissioner for Home Affairs, Rasheed Aderibigbe; Commissioner for ICT & Digital Economy, Maruf Ayofe; Special Adviser Public Enlightenment, Eniola Odeniyi and Special Adviser Transport, Moshood Yakubu.
The governor’s absence in the state and country in the last three weeks has, however, made the citizens to speculate about his whereabouts.
Many people in the state believed he was in the United States on medical vacation.
But speaking on a local radio station yesterday, he said he was in Thailand, holidaying.
Governor Adeleke told Rave FM in Osogbo during a current affairs programme, Frank Talk, that he is in Thailand on vacation.
He berated the allegation that he went for surgery, explaining that “I am on vacation and I also went to woo investors into the state. When I return, Osun people will see the result of my travelling.
“I have governed the state with the fear of God and the rule of law. I am very empathic about the plight of the people. This is why my government is people-oriented, unlike the bad way the previous government treated our people. Osun people should expect more from my government.”
The Canadian government in collaboration with the Shola Agboola Foundation(SAGA) has donated hospital equipment worth billions of Naira to the Osun State government to take care of the deficit in the health sector.
Among the equipment donated are; Modern oxygenated concentrated machines, wheelchairs, beddings, trolly, and x-ray machines among others.
In the address of the founder of the foundation, Shola Agboola, he disclosed that the Canadian government donated all the hospital equipment. At the same time, SAGA paid for shipping and clearing into the country.
He said that the death of his father at his(Shola’s) tender age due to lack of health care equipment spurred him to access the gesture from the Canadian government which is willing to donate equipment to him for use in Nigeria.
According to him, “What Canada saw in me was the passion, and with that, they have given over $400 million dollars worth in medical equipment, educational resources, and social empowerment services across all geographical zones in Nigeria which Osun State is inclusive.”
Governor Ademola Adeleke who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Bunmi Jenyo disclosed that the gesture is the second of its kind in Osun State in 2023, as he assured that the government will make good use of the equipment.
Earlier, the Chairman of Osun State Hospitals’ Management Board, Dr. Kingsley Akinroye expressed concern over the health index of the State, noting that, “Osun State is one of the poorest states in Nigeria with health index, we are very poor, you have started well by this donation to us, we will put it to good use. We also need more especially in the area of human resources because we are very weak in human resources, we need an engineer for equipment maintenance and consultants that will be operating this equipment.”
Government needs to be serious about security -Ex-DG, Western Nigeria Security Network
Many people believe that the issue of herders’ attacks on communities in the Southwest have become a thing of the past, but the alarm raised by the traditional ruler of Esa Oke, Obokun Local Government Area, Osun State, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, has given rise to fresh concerns. GBENGA ADERANTI examines the preparedness of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) and other security agencies to prevent or resist possible attacks.
The traditional ruler of Esa-Oke community in Obokun Local Government Area, Osun State, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, spoke the minds of not only residents but also farmers when he recently expressed fear that criminally minded herders could attack their communities soon.
According to the monarch, as the dry season approaches, many agrarian communities in Osun, especially those in Ijeshaland, may soon experience an influx of herders on their farmlands.
Before now, they had enjoyed relative peace. But there are fears that that could come to an end anytime soon as the rains cease and there are no grass for the cattle of herders to feed on.
Oba Adediran drew the attention of the state government to the calamity that could befall the inhabitants of the affected communities very soon and called for special security surveillance in his community to prevent herders’ invasion.
The respected monarch said: “The government knows the best thing to do ahead of the dry season when herdsmen will be invading our community. It has been affecting us yearly.
“The farmers are not happy to farm again. People are not willing to struggle again to get food. So we have been starving.
“The government should help us by trying as much as they can do to prevent insecurity in the community ahead of the dry season.
“Government should help us to with a special patrol that will see to this.”
Palpable fear in the land
The concerns of the monarch could be genuine after all. Those who have had an encounter with herders would tell you that it is better to imagine such an ugly experience than being confronted with it.
A farmer, Mr. Peter Olayemi, told our correspondent that he was once a victim of herders’ destruction. He said although he did not suffer any bodily injury, the “unpalatable” experience still left a sour taste in his mouth.
Olayemi, who said he lost his two acres of farmland to ravaging herders, said he never envisaged the sight that later confronted him after a distress call from his uncle.
He said: “My uncle just called me that I should come home and visit my farm. On getting to the farm, I found his two-acre cassava and maize farm totally ravaged. The farmland looked as if we were just preparing it for planting.
“I immediately contacted one man, who happened to be the head of the herders in the area. He came with two other elderly herders and they were begging that I should forgive them, but I said no, they should pay compensation for destroying the farm at will.
“It was so clear that the herder, who later showed up, was old enough to know that the place his cattle grazed was a farm and not a grazing land.
“But after all was said and done, they only begged. They didn’t pay any compensation.”
Olayemi said the herdsmen responsible for the destruction of the farm would have been shielded, if not for his insistence that his fellow herders must produce the culprit.
Not one to give up on his farming business, Olayemi again in 2021 acquired another land on which he planted maize and cassava. But rather than siting his farm deep inside the forest, he chose a place where there was life.
To prevent a repeat of the first experience, the farm was close to the house of the son of the herder.
“Being conscious of what had happened in the past, I was interacting with the boy, sounding a note of warning that on no account must he take his cattle near the farm,” he said.
Unlike the first time, Olayemi said he was able to harvest his maize. But when it was time for him to harvest his cassava on his five-acre farm, he was again disappointed. “I was shocked when I got there and discovered that the place had been turned into a grazing land for cattle. I was temporarily numb because I could not comprehend it.
“As at that time, the quantum of the loss was about N1.5 million after spending so much money.”
Rather than take the law into his own hands, Olayemi contacted the police and the errant herdsman was invited.
He said: “I confronted him and asked how many times I warned him not to allow his cattle to go near the farm, but he didn’t have an answer.
“The irony of it all is that he too had an acre of cassava farm beside his house. I asked him why didn’t you turn your cattle on your own farm? It shows that you are a wicked person and what you have done is deliberate.“
Olayemi recalled that the herdsman was detained and later released. The herder’s father, who happened to be the leader of the herdsmen in the community, was summoned and was reminded that a similar thing happened 10 years ago.
“I said you were the one begging me 10 years ago to forgive some herders who destroyed my farm, but see what is happening now.
“For you, your economic interest is paramount, but you don’t care about others. He was just begging me to forgive him.”
Fortunately, there was a committee set up by the then-governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, and saddled with the responsibility of mediating in such problems. The herder was dragged before the committee, where they were indicted, and told to pay compensation.
“But the herder was offering me N100,000 for a farm that was worth over N1.5 million. At one point he was talking about N40,000.
“My brother, it was an unpalatable experience that dampened my interest in farming. We have a very large expanse of land but we can’t go there and farm, because no serious person will invest money and at the end of the day some crankhead would come over there and destroy everything so that their cattle can feed very well.
“In the new Bola Ahmed administration, something drastic has to be done with regard to the herders’ problem because we can all see we are having issues with food security now.
“Government must find a way to rein them in so that they will not continue to destroy people’s property and farms and thrive at the expense of the farmers.”
The residents of Coker, another community in Obokun Local Government Area, Osun State, who were victims of herdsmen attacks in April 2021, would not easily forget what they went through when they were attacked by some herdsmen.
The herders, who came into the community armed with AK-47s, were said to have come in the night and ordered the residents to file out of their houses.
“Immediately the gunmen, numbering eight, arrived, they ordered the residents to march out of their houses and led them towards the bush in the locality.
“While the residents were being taken to the bush, one of them veered off the line unknown to the gunmen and put a telephone call to the hunters’ group in the state.
“The hunters, on receiving the distress call, were said to have arrived at the village and foiled the kidnap attempt.
“The invaders were said to have angrily shot three of the residents during a gun duel between them, the hunters and some locals.”
The police, according to a report confirming the incident, said while the herders attempted to abduct the village head, three residents of the community and hunters sustained bullet wounds.
Also, sometime in August this year, six people in Oyan, a community in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Osun State, were reportedly abducted by herders. The victims were abducted while returning from their farm. One of them later escaped.
Nothing to worry about, says Amotekun Commandant
However, when our correspondent contacted the Commandant of Amotekun in Osun State, General Bashir Adewinbi, he said he was not aware of the concerns of the monarch. He however promised to double the efforts of Amotekun to address the concerns.
He assured that every measure was in place to allay the fears expressed by Owa Miran of Esa Oke.
He said the fact that the people of these communities are in border town with Ondo State makes things worse, as they are surrounded by thick forests which the criminal herders exploit maximally to commit heinous crimes.
Adewinbi said: “They can’t succeed. I don’t think it is possible, my brother. I doubt it.
“I don’t see anybody that will come and attack any village in Osun State now. Amotekun is solid.”
He wondered why the herders and the communities would have any issues since they had a cordial relationship. He reiterated that it would be difficult for anybody or group of people to attack the state right now, considering the machinery that have been put in place by the former governor Isiaka Oyetola and the current governor Ademola Adeleke.
“It would be difficult for any criminal element to engage in any criminal activities in the state. The outfit is better equipped,” he said.
While also admitting that the herders had in the past focused on communities in Ijeshaland, he added: “The thick forests within this area could be one of the factors. But I trust my colleague in Ondo, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, he has been doing wonderfully well.
“We network. I have a strategic plan for the area and nothing like that will happen there again. I’ve told the present governor, Senator Nurudeen Adeleke, and he has promised to give me every necessary thing to focus on that area, and he has started doing it.”
While believes that security is a major thing the government should focus on, he disclosed that like every other sector, the economy also hampers the operation of Amotekun. That notwithstanding, he expressed his firm belief in the governor to make available the needed equipment to rid the state of crime and criminality.
The complaint in many quarters has been that criminally minded herders have always had leeway because of their superior firepower, but the Osun Amotekun Commander does not share this sentiment.
He is of the opinion that when issues like this are being discussed, distinctions should be made between terrorists and criminal herders or cattle rustlers.
“Cattle rustlers may not carry more than two, three, or four rifles, though in Osun State, it is not allowed. If you see any cattle rustler with arms, please call me and we will disarm him,” he said.
The Nation gathered that the war against criminal herders has been difficult to win in most places because of some powerful people behind the criminally minded herders, In other instances, when some of the criminally minded herders are arrested by the police, because of lack of enough evidence to prosecute them, they are allowed to go scot-free. In other instances, they are freed in courts because of lack of evidence.
Adewinbi said the way out of these attacks is effective policing and intelligence gathering, adding that when there is no effective community policing, you can’t get credible intelligence.
He said: “Credible intelligence will be converted to actionable intelligence; it leads you to make decisions, to strategise.
There is nowhere there is no crime but it can be reduced to the barest minimum.
“Honestly, I support well-organised state police. Individual states should have their own police. State police should be made up of Amotekun, not the federal police.”
Our correspondent also contacted the leader of another security outfit in the state, Hunters Group Nigeria, Osun State Chapter, Hameed Nureni, but he neither picked his calls nor returned them. The WhatsApp message sent to him was also not replied to.
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Osun Chapter, on Wednesday, declared an indefinite strike following tear gas fired at protesting workers by the police .
Mr Oluwagbemiga Eludire, JUSUN chairman , who announced the strike, said it was necessary in order to put a stop to mismanagement of the judiciary in the state .
Eludire said that Osun Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, had declared war against workers, adding that the union would not back down except answers were provided to the questions asked the embattled CJ.
He said that the union had picket the office of the CJ 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.
“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.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that Gov. Adeleke had on Nov. 16 purportedly approved the suspension of Ojo, following recommendations of the state legislative.
A statement by Mr Olawale Rasheed, spokesman to Gov. Adeleke stated that the resolution passed was to give the lawmakers room to investigate the allegations against the Chief judge.
Rasheed stated that Gov. 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, Mr Kola Adewusi, scheduled to oversee the event, and Justice Afolabi, the Acting Chief Judge, did not show up at the venue of the exercise on Nov. 17.
The NJC also did not give approval for the suspension of Justice Ojo and for her replacement by Justice Afolabi.
On Nov. 19, Gov. Adeleke reversed himself, and denied that he suspended Justice Ojo from office.
The Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr Kolapo Alimi, stated in Osogbo on Nov. 19 that the governor had not even appointed any judicial officer as acting Chief Judge.
He added that Gov. Adeleke only recommended the acting chief judge to the NJC, being the most senior in line.
“The government of Osun State has denied news reports that Gov. Adeleke has removed the Chief Judge and appointed an acting Chief Judge.
“The governor only forwarded the resolution of the House of Assembly and recommendation for an acting appointment to the Chief Justice of the Nigeria for decision and action.
“With all sense of responsibility, it is important to set the records straight.
“Gov. Adeleke only notified the Chief Justice of Nigeria as the Chairman of the NJC in writing about the resolutions of the House of Assembly following a series of petitions made against the chief judge.
“In the communication, the governor intimated the CJN of the recommendation of the House that the Chief Judge should step aside.
“He included his own submission for an acting appointment to fill the vacuum while the NJC reviews and decides on the petition.
“The governor in the same letter recommended to the CJN, the appointment of the most senior judicial officer, Justice Olayinka Afolabi for thorough consideration and further processing by the same NJC through the CJN.
“We therefore 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,’’ Alimi stated.(NAN)
