Court restrains Adeleke from removing Osun CJ, imposes security increase

The National Industrial Court, Ibadan division, presided over by Justice Dele Peters, prevented Governor Ademola Adeleke from replacing Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Ojo.

The court also ordered Adeleke to beef up security around Justice Ojo to shield her from all types of abuse while the case is heard in court.

The presiding Judge of National Industrial Court, Justice Dele Peters, granted the move experte brought by Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Oyebola Ojo, through her lawyer, Oladipo Olasope, SAN, in an interim order obtained by The Nation on November 16th, 2023.

The suit with number NICN/IB/61/2023 filed by the CJ, Justice Adepele Ojo against Governor Adeleke, Attorney General of Osun State, Osun State Judicial Service Commission and Accountant General of Osun State retrained the four defendants following the motion exparte filed on 15th November 2023.

The order read:

“An order of interim injunction is issued restraining the defendants by themselves or their agents or privies howsoever 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.

“An order is here issued mandatory for the 4 Defendant (Account General) to continue to pay the salary, entitlements, emoluments and other benefits and money the Applicant is entitled to as the Hon. Chief Judge of Osun State pending the determination of the interlocutory application.”

“Taking cognisance of the gender of the Applicant as a wife, a mother and a grandmother, the first defendant 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.”

It was added: “Finally, it is directed that the 2nd Defendant(Attorney General) as the Chief Law Officer of Osun State will appropriately advise the Defendants in general and the 1st Defendant in particular on the imperative of complying fully with the orders of this Court.”

Justice Peters hereby adjourned the case to December 12th, 2023 for hearing the pending motion.