Students Protest Suspension of Osun Judge, Accuse Aregbesola Of Vindictiveness

Some students of tertiary institutions in Osun State have protested the suspension of a state High Court judge, Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede by the National Judicial Council (NJC). 

The students led by Comrade Saheed Adesiyan, on Wednesday, said the suspension of the judge due to her allegations against Governor Rauf Aregbesola, amounted to suppression of truth, fairness and an attempt to silent courageous judicial officers. 

Adesiyan while granting interview with newsmen during the protest accused Aregbesola and the Osun State House of Assembly of orchestrating Oloyede’s suspension. 

The activist, who is a member of Student Representative Council, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, alleged that Aregbesola sponsored the civil society group that petitioned NJC against Oloyede.

Adesiyan, the student leader

Adesiyan, popularly known as X-Perience, said: “We are here today to reject the suspension of a courageous judge, Justice Olamide Folahanmi, by the NJC. Justice Oloyede is a victim of a corrupt society and a teleguided judicial system.

“We know that Governor Rauf Aregbesola is responsible for the suspension of the honourable judge because she wrote a petition against the governor. We know Aregbesola orchestrated the civil society group that went to NJC to complain about Justice Oloyede. Is Aregbesola not guilty of what Justice Oloyede accused him of? Of course he is. 

“We consider the suspension of Justice Oloyede as an assault on her fundamental right of freedom of expression. It is an attempt by some unscrupulous elements to silent courageous judicial officer like Justice Oloyede. We want the NJC to rescind its decision and reinstate our dear Justice Oloyede.”

The students who were matching from Ayetoro, Osogbo were however, attacked by some hoodlums suspected to have been sponsored by the government. 

The hoodlums shot, threw broker bottles and stones at the students, forcing them to disperse at Old garage area of Osogbo. 

It would be recalled that justice Oloyede was suspended by the NJC which also recommended her for compulsory retirement at the end of its  77th meeting held on July 15, 2016.

A statement by the acting Director of Information at the NJC, Mr. Soji Oye, on July 17, 2016, said the Council recommended Justice  Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede of High Court of Justice, Osun State, for compulsory retirement from Office to Osun State governor sequel to the ‘Findings’ of its Facts Finding Committee that: “The Hon. Judge failed to conduct herself in such a manner as to preserve the dignity of her office and impartiality and independence of the Judiciary when she wrote a petition against the Osun State governor and his deputy to  members of the State House of Assembly and circulated same to 36 persons/organisations.”