Lead lawyer to the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu, SAN, Mr Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, blasted Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and the state government over their contemptuous comments against last Thursday’s judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja, which barred the governor from sacking the Chief Judge.
Justice Inyang Ekwo had, in his judgment, stopped Governor Akeredolu from embarking on the mission of giving the Chief Judge the boot.
The court made an order nullifying any decisions made by the Governor and other defendants aimed at suspending, sacking and investigating the plaintiff, Justice Akeredolu.
The court also held that the powers to investigate, probe and indict any judicial officer for any misconduct in the line of duties was constitutionally vested in the National Judicial Council, NJC.
Piqued by the judgment,
Governor Akeredolu had in a swift riposte, via a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Donald Ojogo, described the suit by the Chief Judge as “an ego trip which the government refused participation.”
In counter reaction, the CJ’s lawyer, Okutepa, described the government’s position as “most unfortunate and uncivilised.”
Okutepa, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, said the Ondo state government’s reaction was “contemptuous”.
A press statement on Saturday by Okutepa read in part: “My attention has been drawn to a press statement said to have been issued by the Government of Ondo State on the judgment delivered by the Hon. Mr Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, in favour of the Hon. the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Oluwatoyin O. Akeredolu.
“The said press statement was titled: ‘Re: Court Bars Ondo Govt From Probing CJ,
SUIT WAS AN EGO TRIP WHICH THE GOVERNMENT REFUSED PARTICIPATION’ and signed by one Donald Ojogo Commissioner for information.
“It is sad and unfortunate that the government of Ondo State could authorise such contemptuous statement to be issued against a judgment that was delivered after all the parties were served with hearing notices on many occasions and the government led by an eminent Senior Advocate did not deem it fit to respect the processes served on the government.
“As lawyer to the Hon. CJ in the matter, I consider the press statement as insulting to my person as it portrays me as accepting brief to take the matter that was purely academic to court for judicial determination.:
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