The Network of Civil Society Organizations in Osun State has accused the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Adepele Ojo, of forum shopping with the way she handled the case involving the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and the multi-billion naira local government funds of Osun State.
The group, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER, alleged that the conduct of the Chief Judge was suspicious and unacceptable, adding that her actions on the UBA and local government matter in the state undermine public confidence in the administration of justice.
To this end, the group threatened to drag the Chief Judge before the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The statement was signed by Olowu Emmanuel of the Social Economic and Civil Rights Advocacy, Tobiloba Richards Agboola of the Good Governance Initiative (GGI), Raufu Sodiq Akinkunmi of the Youths for Better Nigeria, Olanrewaju Stephen, who is the convener of the Center for Accountability & Democracy and Janet Olayemi Gbadebo of the Grassroots Watch on behalf of the Network of Civil Society Groups.
The statement reads ‘we strongly condemn the exhibition of bias and personal interest demonstrated by the Chief Judge through the importation of Hon. Justice M.O. Agboola from the Ifetedo Judicial Division to the Osogbo Judicial Division to hear a mere ex-parte application. This action does not portray good faith and raises grave questions about the integrity of the process.
“We state that on the 29th and 30th of January, 2026, the Chief Judge acted in bad faith in the case involving Abiodun Layonu (SAN) who filed an application seeking leave for judicial review for and on behalf of UBA and other defendants in the ongoing criminal trial of UBA officials before the Chief Magistrate Court in Osogbo.
“It is on record that there are 22 Judges in the High Court of Justice of Osun State, out of which Hon. Justice M.O. Agboola is number 17. Exercising her constitutional powers, the Chief Judge posted six Judges to the Osogbo Judicial Division and voluntarily posted Hon. Justice M.O. Agboola to the Ilesha and Ifetedo Judicial Divisions. Pursuant to this posting, Justice Agboola sits in both Ilesha and Ifetedo Judicial Divisions.
“Consequently, on Friday, 30th January, 2026, His Lordship was scheduled to sit in Ifetedo Judicial Division to attend to several cases affecting the good people of Osun State.
“Specifically, Justice Agboola’s case list in the Ifetedo Judicial Division for that day shows that he was to attend to the following eight cases: (i) HFT/4/2025: Monday Akomedaye & Ors vs Prince Adegoke Adeyemi & Ors; (ii) HFT/7/2025: Titus Abiodun & Ors vs Peter Ani & Ors;(iii) HFT/8/2025: Dr. Matthew Odukunle vs Chief Akin Obalolu;
(iv) HFT/12/2025: Prince Adegoke Adeyemi & Ors vs Monday Akponmedaye; (v) HFT/5/2025: Chief Kazeem Adeboye & Ors vs Mr. Kola Ogunsakin & Ors; (vi) HFT/M.8/2025: Pastor Adegoke Folorunso Benjamin & Ors vs Mr. Adewunmi Ademiluyi Okero;
(vii) HFT/11/2025: Adegoke Adebisi Taiwo vs Mr. Segun Alamu & Ors; and (viii) HFT/9/2024: Adeloye Azeez Ologbenla & Ors vs Adeyemi Badmus Aderibigbe.
“We further state that the six Judges assigned to the Osogbo Judicial Division were equally expected to sit in Osogbo on 30th January, 2026. These Judges are: Hon. Justice Adepele Ojo – Court 1; Hon. Justice O.D. Afolabi – Court 2; Hon. Justice Onibokun – Court 3; Hon. Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe – Court 4; Hon. Justice Ayo Oyebiyi – Court 5; and Hon. Justice Ayo Awe – Court 6.
“Out of these six Judges, the first five are senior to Hon. Justice M.O. Agboola. Therefore, when the defendants filed their suit, it was only logical, reasonable and natural to expect that the case would be assigned to one of these six Judges. Indeed, the motion paper bore “Court 4” on it, giving the clear impression that the matter had been assigned to Court 4, presided over by Hon. Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe.
“However, to our utter shock and dismay, on 30th January, 2026, Hon. Justice M.O. Agboola was imported by the Chief Judge from the Ifetedo Judicial Division where he was duty-bound to attend to eight pending cases to the Osogbo Judicial Division to hear the UBA application for judicial review.
“This was done despite the fact that none of the six Judges posted to Osogbo Judicial Division by the Chief Judge herself was considered fit to hear a mere ex-parte application. We therefore ask the following critical questions:
“Why did the Chief Judge import Justice Agboola from the Ifetedo Judicial Division to sit on a mere ex-parte application in the Osogbo Judicial Division which already has six substantive Judges, thereby depriving litigants in the Ifetedo Judicial Division
who share a single Judge with Ilesha of their right to have their cases heard on 30th January, 2026?
“Is the Chief Judge admitting to having a personal interest in this case, or is there an external influence dictating to her who must sit on this matter?
“It is on record that the Honourable Attorney-General of Osun State drew the attention of Justice Agboola to several applications challenging the jurisdiction of the Court, including an application alleging bias, yet these were ignored.
“Why the sudden and unusual importation of Justice Agboola to the Osogbo Judicial Division? Is this assignment beyond the competence of the six Judges in Osogbo, or is it simply an act of compromise?
“The inability of the Chief Judge to find any Judge in Osogbo Judicial Division worthy of determining an ordinary ex-parte application only confirms the fears earlier expressed by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, that the rich are purchasing justice, and by Professor Chidi Odinkalu that abnormality has become the norm in the temple of justice.
“We state firmly that the act of the Chief Judge in depriving litigants in the Ifetedo Judicial Division of their right to have their cases heard on 30th January, 2026, while importing Justice Agboola to Osogbo Judicial Division to determine a mere ex-parte application, is not only done in bad faith but amounts to clear misconduct.
“We therefore demand a thorough and independent investigation into this infraction. This action constitutes a clear abuse of power by the Chief Judge. Accordingly, we call on the Osun State House of Assembly, the Osun State Judicial Service Commission, and the National Judicial Council to urgently investigate this matter and take appropriate action in the interest of justice and the rule of law,” the group added.
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