ONDO: Court restrains Akeredolu, others from probing CJ over viral video

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted an ex-parte application filed by the Chief Justice of the state, Justice Oluwatoyin Akeredolu over the decision of the state government to probe her over a viral video made by one Olupelumi Fagboyegun.

According to the Chief Judge, the state government is allegedly making move to remove her from office through its former Attorney General, Charles Titiloye, using the video sent to the State House Assembly by Fagboyegun.  

But ruling on the suit yesterday the court restrained the Governor of the state, the state House of Assembly, Attorney-General and three others from taking any further steps in relation to the alleged probe of the Chief Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin.

Also affected by the order are  the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Judicial Council and the Inspector-General of Police.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order while granting all the four principal reliefs contained in the application moved by the plaintiff’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), and ordered the service of all originating processes in the suit on the defendants and adjourned the case till March 5, 2021 for hearing of the plaintiff’s motion on notice.

Okutepa said, “We fear that if there is no intervention of the court, we think it is a ploy to get her out of office. We believe it has political undertone.”

In the main suit, the plaintiff is contending that the Ondo State governor, the AG and the House of Assembly lacked the powers under the Constitution to investigate the Chief Judge for any allegation of professional misconduct.