By Funmi Ojo
Osun state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke says his administration is not responsible for the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, in Osun State.
In a statement by his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the Governor while reacting to allegations made by the Forum of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, branches in Osun State, said the paralysis of the state judiciary was caused by the alleged failure of the Chief Judge to convene statutory meetings of the Judicial Service Commission, JSC.
The NBA, in a petition dated December 8, had accused the Governor and his appointees to the JSC of contributing to the crisis within the judiciary.
The government described the allegations as misrepresentations, stating that Governor Adeleke remains committed to constitutional governance and the smooth functioning of the judiciary.
According to the statement, the shutdown in the judiciary was not due to a refusal by government-appointed members of the JSC to participate in meetings, but rather the Chief Judge’s persistent refusal for two years to convene any meeting of the Commission as required by law.
The statement recalled the Governor’s intervention during the last JUSUN strike in February 2024, when he met with the JUSUN national leadership to resolve their grievances, which led to a tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on February 16, 2024, between JUSUN, the State Government, and the Judiciary.
The MOA included commitments to reinstate suspended staff, convene JSC meetings, process promotions, pay robe allowances, withdraw pending litigations, and develop a new scheme of service for judiciary staff.
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