The suspension of Osun State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo, has continued to rear its head on Sunday with Governor Ademola Adeleke denying appointing an acting CJ to replace Justice Ojo.
Last Thursday, Ojo was asked to step aside by the State House of Assembly to allow for an investigation into some petitions written against her.
In a statement sent to journalists in Osogbo the same day, spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, said Adeleke had approved the appointment of Justice Olayinka Afolabi as acting CJ in place of the Ojo.
Rasheed said: “Governor Ademola Adeleke has appointed Justice Olayinka David Afolabi as the acting Chief Judge of Osun state with immediate effect following the approval of the resolution of the House of Assembly.”
In another statement, Rasheed said the deputy governor, Kola Adewusi, would perform the swearing-in ceremony for Afolabi, who is next on the order of seniority, the following day, Friday.
But the swearing-in did not take place with the government saying it was following the necessary procedures.
However, in a fresh twist on Sunday, the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said Adeleke had not appointed anyone as acting Chief Judge.
Alimi said Adeleke in his communication to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, only notified him of the current investigation of Osun Chief Judge and made a recommendation to the National Judicial Council for the appointment of an acting Chief Judge.
He said: “The government of Osun State has denied news reports that Governor Ademola Adeleke has removed the Chief Judge and appointed an acting Chief Judge, clarifying that the governor had only forwarded the resolution of the House of Assembly and recommendation for an acting appointment to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for decision and action.
“With all sense of responsibility, it is important to set the records straight that Governor Adeleke has only duly notified the Chief Justice as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council in writing about the resolutions of the House of Assembly following a series of petitions made against the sitting Chief Judge of Osun State.
“In the communication, Mr Governor intimated the CJN of the recommendation of the House that the Chief Judge should step aside and include his own submission for an acting appointment to fill the vacuum while the NJC reviews and decides on the petition.
“To that end, the governor, in the same letter, recommended to the CJN, the appointment of the most senior judicial officer, Hon.Justice Olayinka Afolabi, for thorough consideration and further processing by the same NJC through the CJN.”
“Adeleke was a man of due process and rule of law with a deep level of respect for the Bar and the bench, the NJC and the country’s constitution.
“We assure the public that Mr Governor is fully aware of the limit of his powers as well as the responsibilities of the various agencies of government and will, therefore, not act in any way to violate the constitution and rule of law,” Alimi said.