Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, an APC chieftain, has called on the National Judicial Council to investigate Justice A.A. Aderibigbe of the Osun High Court for granting an order recognising vacancies in the local government areas.

Mr Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, made the call on Monday in Osogbo.

Mr Aderibigbe had on February 21 granted the government’s request to go ahead with the February 22 local government polls.

In its order, the court also recognised existing vacancies in all the 30 LGAs and mandated the State Independent Electoral Commission to fill them through election.

The court order was at variance with the advice given by the attorney general of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, on February 20 that Governor Ademola Adeleke should not proceed with the conduct of the election.

Mr Fagbemi had urged the governor to respect the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, which restored chairpersons and councillors removed in 2022 by the Adeleke administration.

Mr Oyintiloye, however, viewed Mr Aderibigbe’s order as strange, insisting that the order was given against a valid judgment of a higher court.

“I want to appeal to the NJC to investigate Justice Aderibigbe for bringing the judiciary to ridicule with the judgment he delivered on February 21, recognising vacancies in Osun LGA after the Court of Appeal had returned the unjustly sacked elected chairmen and councillors elected in the October 15, 2022 election,” said the APC chieftain.

Mr Oyintiloye also said Mr Aderibigbe’s judgment came after the police had strongly advised the Osun government to suspend the election following intelligence that indicated a high-security threat and volatility.

The APC chieftain subsequently urged NJC to thoroughly investigate Mr Aderibigbe to keep the sanctity of the judiciary intact.

Mr Oyintiloye said the order granted by the judge raised questions about the court hierarchy, which the council must provide answers to. 

(NAN)