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A legal luminary and Patron of Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Chief Mike Ozekhome has advised the embattled Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Ojo to come down from her high-horse to ensure a breathe of life for the judiciary arm of government in Osun that has been on strike since last year November.
He made this known on ‘Politics Today’ on Channels TV on Tuesday monitored by PrimeReportersNG.
When asked by the anchor of the programme Seun Okinbaloye for his reaction to the Osun judicial crisis being a stakeholder in the legal field and Patron of JUSUN, he said, “It such a shame that the judiciary in Osun has been on strike or forced vacation since November 22 last year. By the way, I’m the Patron to JUSUN (Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria), and because of that, I know their plight, I know their problems.
“We usually say the judiciary is being buffeted by the Executive or by the Legislature, but the situation in Osun can be likened to a scenario where the judiciary is engaging in self-destruct or self immolation. This time, it is not the other arm of government that is dealing with the judiciary, it is the judiciary itself in Osun that is dealing with itself.
“The Chief Judge of Osun state, Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo, should climb down from her high-horse and attend to the burning issue at stake. She should not behave like Nero, who was playing games when Rome was on fire. She should stop going to Canada for vacation when the judiciary she heads is at a standstill,” he stated.
He emphasized that judicial workers are entitled to certain prerequisite of office and benefits of service while highlighting what led to the current impasse between the Chief Judge and the workers under her leadership. He gave instance of the five embattled staff of the union who were unjustly suspended from work and arraigned in the court but at the same time, their salaries were being paid by the government but not getting to the embattled workers, a situation which led the staff and union in accusing the Chief Judge of high handedness and not obeying rule of law among other things.
When asked further what he thinks is the solution to the judicial impasse in Osun, Chief Ozekhome said, “Based on several instances of the past, it is only the NJC that has the disciplinary power over Judges and i am aware that the NJC currently has the petition of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Osun State Chapter, that of the House of Assembly and that of the Executive arm on their desk, it is now left to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola who also doubles as the Chairman of NJC to quickly meet and resolve this matter.
“Do you know what it means to close down the judiciary arm of government for three months? When potential investors hear such, they may run away.
“My Lord Justice Adepele Ojo, I pray that you please in the name of God and in the name of all that is good for Osun State and the judiciary, look at the situation and climb down from your high-horse. This current impasse can be resolved within 24hrs even without calling the NJC to be involved, if you really want the matter to be resolved,” Chief Ozekhome retorted.
It would be recalled that Governor Ademola Adeleke had set up a seven man committee, giving them an ultimatum to urgently resolve the industrial dispute in the judiciary arm of the government of the state, a move that had led to the parties involved in the Osun judicial Impasse signing a resolution agreement just as the State Governor, equally effecting the payment of wardrobe allowance, one of the key demands of the striking workers.
As reported before by PrimeReportersNG, that agreement reached by the tripartite committee setup by the government and other interested parties and signed by Mr F.I. Omisade, the registrar of state High Court; the National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Adamu; and the Justice Commissioner, Hon Wole Jimi Bada are;
- That the judicial services commission (JSC) meeting should be called to reinstate all the suspended staff as soon as possible;
- That the necessary promotion and regularization of all qualified members of staff will be effected by the judicial service commission (JSC) without further delay;
- All instituted court actions against the judicial service commission (JSC), JUSUN, its members (by signatory to this agreement, their privies or their sympathizers), and the Hon. Attorney General must be withdrawn forthwith;
- That the government has agreed to pay the 2023 staff regulation dress allowance/robe allowance, as same was captured under the budget of the judiciary for 2023;
- That the government will contact all relevant governmental agencies to look into all the past activities regarding the 2021 and 2022 staff;
- That the government robust scheme of service for all categories of staff in the judiciary shall be fashioned out and implemented by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) without any further delay;
- There shall be no victimization of any form against any judicial officer, or any member of JUSUN for participating in the strike or as a result of the strike;
- That this agreement is without prejudice to whatever step being taken by the national judicial council and in no way meant to overreach, overtake, or stop such steps;
- That this agreement is made in consideration of the need to enable Jusun call off its strike and resume duties accordingly in the interest of the state and general public.
The Chairman of the panel setup by the government, Hon Teslim Igbalaye who is also the Secretary to the State Government said the implementation of the agreement has begun in earnest as the Governor has ordered the immediate payment of the wardrobe allowance to the judicial workers.
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