The coalition of civil society organizations has vowed to resist fresh moves to remove the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Oyebola Ojo, over false allegations.

This Nation recalled that there were moves to remove Justice Ojo in October 2023, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Yomi Aliyu raised alarm, warning against the moves by the executive arm of Osun state to perpetrate the action.

However, the state government denied the allegation.

In a recent development, a coalition of CSOs comprising of Transparency and Accountability Group (TAG), Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Dialogue 360, and the Osun Civil Society Coalition on Wednesday raised alarm over a fresh attempt to remove the CJ.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Comrade Ayo Ologun at the NUJ correspondent said: “We strongly condemn the recent attempt by the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to illegally remove the Chief Judge of Osun state, Honorable Justice Adebola Adepele Ojo. This move is particularly troubling as it appears to be a reprisal against the Chief Judge for her principled stand against attempts to manipulate the judiciary in the state.”

The group raised concern over the implications of the action if the CJ is removed, stressing that it will affect the integrity of the judiciary in Osun State.

The coalition demanded: “We hereby call on Governor Ademola Adeleke to respect the independence of the judiciary and immediately cease any attempts to remove the Chief Judge based on her principled stance. The judiciary must be allowed to operate without fear of reprisal or political interference, ensuring that justice is served impartially and without bias.”

They urged relevant stakeholders, including the National Judicial Council, legal associations, and the general public, to closely monitor the situation in Osun State and speak out against any actions that threaten the independence of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations, Governor Ademola Adeleke, through the commissioner for Information and public enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi denied any involvement in the plot against the CJ.

The statement read: “The government wishes to state that the constitution and the state laws clearly spell out the responsibilities of state officials. The same laws lay out rules for accountability and transparency across government sectors.

“The Governor and all government officials whether elected or appointed into any arm of government are not immune from the accountability process. The Governor is therefore not in a position to stop the legislature from doing her statutory job and neither can the Governor hamstring the judiciary in the performance of its duties.” (The Nation)

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