By Ken Afor
The national organ of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has disclosed that no directive has been given to any member to demonstrate during the current face-off between Osun State Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, and the state government.
In a communique issued on Thursday by the Deputy President, Emmanuel Abioye, of the union and made available to journalists, no member of its member should take part in any illegal picketing, protesting, or job boycotting of any kind.
According to the communique, “Our attention has been drawn to the unfortunate incidence of unrest currently permeating the Osun State Judiciary as a result of the activity of some unscrupulous elements causing confusion in the name of the union in the Osun State Judiciary and we hereby state as follows:
“Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria as a responsible union has never and will never take any perceived or real partisan position in all its activities with individuals or organizations.
“Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria has never directed or approved that any of its members should proceed on any protest or picketing activity in Osun State Judiciary or any other state to settle any perceived or real political scores.”
The communique read further, “Consequently upon the above-highlighted position, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria hereby dissociates itself from any action taken so far by any set of people whatsoever under whatever guise and the national secretariat views such action as a calculated attempt by some set of people to play cheap political games with the intent to blackmail the union and tarnish our good image and good reputation built over the years.”
“We, thereby, warn that under no guise should any of our members participate in any illegal picketing, protest or job boycotting whatsoever.”
It would be recalled that the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, after obtaining the approval of the State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Wale Egbedun, suspended Ojo from his role as Chief Justice due to allegations of abuse of office and heavy-handed tactics by the state judicial staff.
The state government proceeded to appoint Justice Olayinka Afolabi in acting capacity but it was turned down.
Weighing in into the matter, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, barred Adeleke from removing Ojo as the substantial CJ of the state, which caused an unexpected twist to the situation. The court adjourned the matter until December 12, 2023, for hearing of the pending motion on notice.
The matter escalated, prompting the state’s chapter of JUSUN to embark on a protest in response to the current court case, opposing the allegations made against Chief Justice Ojo.
