Mixed reactions trail Justice Oloyede’s compulsory retirement

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the compulsory retirement handed on Justice Folahanmi Oloyede from Osun State by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Though some commended the compulsory retirement of Oloyede, others faulted the move by NJC.

NJC had on July 17, 2016 during its 77th meeting under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhamud Muhammed recommended the compulsory retirement of the Justice Oloyede following the recommendation of the panel of enquiry chaired by Justice Ibraheem Auta.

The panel held that the Justice Oloyede’s action was contrary to Rules 1 (1) and (5) of the 2016 Revised of Conduct for Judicial of Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

It would be recalled that Justice Oloyede had on July 2015 petitioned the Osun State House of Assembly to conduct a thorough and credible investigation into the alleged mismanagement of Osun funds by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The Osun state House of Assembly had on 5, August, 2015, dismissed Folahanmi’s petition against the governor for lack of merit, fictitious, frivolous and baseless.

In the petition sent to the Osun State House of Assembly last year, Oloyede alleged Governor Aregbesola and his Deputy of financial misappropriation and embezzlement of public fund.

On its part, the Civil Society Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS),  faulted the verdict by the NJC that recommended compulsory retirement for Justice Oloyede.

The group called on the President Muhammod Buhari to wage into matter by urgently constituting an ‘independent and unbiased’ panel of enquiry.

Chairman of the Coalition, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi-Sulaiman who led other members of the group made the submission while addressing Journalists at Osogbo on Wednesday.

Chairman CSCEOS who expressed displeasure over the verdict handling down by NJC on Justice Folahanmi alleged the judgment has political undertone.

“We put it the leadership of the NJC that the so called 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were masterminded by a cabal in the  judicial and executive arm of government determined to ensure Oloyede’s exist from the bench of Osun state”

Also, the State Secretary of the Social Democratic Movement, Comrade Kola Ibrahim said the petition written by Oloyede was needed at the time it was written, especially because workers and pensioners were being owed more than seven months salaries and pension allowances.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Comrade Rasheed Ropo said the NJC’s decision was appropriate, as it would send a strong signal to others.