The Abuja Federal High Court, has scheduled hearing of suit by the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Oluwatoyin Akerdeolu for March 11, 2021.
In the suit, Justice Akeredeolu, claimed among other things that the Ondo State Governor and the state’s House of Assembly are plotting to remove her from office under the pretext of investigating the allegations made in a viral video by Olupelumi Fagboyegun, alleging that the Chief Judge influenced his detention for about three years.
The suit has the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, the National Judicial Council, NJC, Ondo State Governor, Ondo State Attorney General, AG, the state’s House of Assembly and the Inspector General of Police, IGP as defendants.
At the mention of the case on Friday, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, informed the court that all the defendants have been served with the originating process within three days in line with the order made by the court on February 25, 2021.
Okutepa said he was ready for the hearing of a motion on notice already filed by Akeredolu.
Counsel for the Attorney general of the federation, prayed the court for an adjournment to enable her office respond to the applications served on it.
In a ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo cautioned against delay in the case, noting that, looking through the proof of service in the court’s file, he observed that all the defendants have been served.
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He stated that the adjournment of the suit is at the instance of the defendants.
The court had, in an ex-parte ruling on February 25, 2021, restrained the Ondo governor and defendants in the case from taking any further steps in relation to the alleged probe of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Akeredolu, over the viral video alleged to have been made by Fagboyegun.
Justice Ekwo particularly restrained the Governor, the AG and the House of Assembly from proceeding with the planned probe, and equally barred the AGF, NJC and the IGP from acting on any report submitted to them by the Ondo State government pending the determination of the main suit.
(Editor:Abaje Usekwe)
