Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
OSOGBO — Governor Ademola Adeleke has dismissed claims that he and his appointees are responsible for the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Osun State, asserting that the paralysis of the state’s judiciary stems from the failure of the Chief Judge to discharge her statutory duties.
The Governor’s response follows a December 8, 2025, letter from the Osun State branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which accused the Governor and members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of contributing to the standoff with judicial staff. Adeleke described these allegations as “unfounded” and clarified that the Chief Judge has, for the past two years, refused to convene JSC meetings or implement the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) previously signed with JUSUN.
“The paralysis of the judiciary is not attributable to any inaction on the part of His Excellency’s appointees, but rather to the persistent refusal of the Honourable Chief Judge to convene meetings of the JSC and to implement the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement signed during the last strike with members of JUSUN, Osun State Chapter,” the Governor said in an official statement. He challenged the Chief Judge and the NBA to provide proof of any convened JSC meeting since the commission’s constitution.
Governor Adeleke recalled his personal intervention during the last JUSUN strike on February 6, 2024, when he met with the National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu, to appeal for a resolution. Following this engagement, a tripartite MOA was signed on February 16, 2024, between JUSUN, the Osun State Government, and the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Justice, outlining key commitments to resolve the disputes.
The agreement included directives for the immediate convening of JSC meetings to reinstate suspended staff, promotion and regularization of qualified personnel, withdrawal of pending court actions against the JSC, JUSUN, and the Attorney-General, and the payment of outstanding robe allowances from 2021, 2022, and 2023. It also emphasized the development of a robust scheme of service, non-victimization of staff, preservation of the National Judicial Council’s supervisory powers, and measures to enable JUSUN to call off its strike.
The Governor’s office expressed frustration over the continuing impasse, stressing that repeated reminders and formal letters from the Attorney-General and JUSUN to the Chief Judge have gone unheeded. “We challenge the Chief Judge and the NBA to produce a single letter wherein the Chief Judge either convened a meeting of the JSC or directed the Secretary of the Commission to do so,” the statement added.
Governor Adeleke reaffirmed his commitment to constitutional governance, the rule of law, and the effective functioning of the judiciary, urging all parties to prioritize dialogue and adherence to agreed protocols to ensure the resumption of court activities in Osun State.
The development highlights a lingering tension within the state judiciary, with the Governor emphasizing that while the executive supports JUSUN’s legitimate demands, ultimate responsibility for convening and implementing JSC decisions rests with the Chief Judge.
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