In a protest against alleged high handedness of Osun State chief judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, members of Judiciary Staff Union (JUSUN) of the state yesterday paralysed activities at the state High Court in Osogbo.
The protesters led by their chairman, Comrade Gbenga Eludire, who were armed with placards with inscriptions such as “Judiciary staff deserves better; We are tired of oppression and stagnation” among others, accused Ojo of refusal to pay wardrobe allowances of workers in the last three years among others.
Speaking with newsmen during the protest, Eludire, who claimed that their agitations were different from the actions of the state government, called for thorough investigation into the activities of the chief judge.
Meanwhile the speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has said the lawmakers have no intention to encroach on the constitutional duties of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on disciplinary action on the Osun chief judge.
Reacting to NBA condemnation of the ongoing process of investigating the chief judge, Egbedun in a statement by his chief press secretary, Olamide Tiamiyu, said the House is only trying to expose corruption.
“The House is fulfilling its constitutional duty of exposing corruption as stipulated in Sections 128 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Osun State House of Assembly is aware of the position of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the decisions of the Supreme Court in various cases stating that the governor of a state and the House of Assembly cannot remove a chief judge from office without the participation of the National Judicial Council.
“Therefore, we urge commentators to be cautious in their utterances, as they may convey the misconception that the Osun State House of Assembly has removed or intends to remove the chief judge of Osun State without the involvement of the National Judicial Council.
“It is pertinent to also clarify that the Osun State House of Assembly was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit filed by the chief judge of Osun State at the National Industrial Court, Ibadan,” Tiamiyu said.