The Osun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has petitioned the National Judicial Council, NJC, against Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe of the state High Court 2 in Ile Ife, for alleged judicial misconduct and impertinence.
Signed by acting state chairman of the party, Sunday Bisi; state secretary, Bola Ajao and the state legal adviser, Barr Taofeeq Tewogbade, the petition was addressed to the chairman of NJC and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Ibrahim.
Ajao, who addressed newsmen in Osogbo on Monday, said Justice Adaribigbe misconducted himself in discharging his duty in a suit filed by Olasoji Adagunodo.
“Following the removal of Olasoji Adagunodo as the Osun state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party by the National Working Committee on 29th September, 2020, he instituted Suit No. HIK/25/2020 by way of originating summons dated 30th October, 2020 before the Osun State High Court sitting at Ikirun Judicial Division wherein he sought various declaratory reliefs against the party (PDP) and other individual members of the party.
“On 11th March 2022, Justice Aderibigbe granted another interim injunction recognizing the Osun state governorship primaries conducted by the state/zonal officers of PDP, as against the special state congress, which was organized, conducted and supervised by the National Executive Committee of the 2nd Defendant on 8th March, 2022 in accordance; sessions 77, 82(1) (5) (b) (1)&(2),(12) and 153 of the Electoral Acts, 2022, Sections 221, 222, and 229 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), articles 12, 13, 25, 29(2),(50) (1),(2) and (e) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic party, 2017 (as amended). See Sadiq Yarudua & Ors vs Yandoma & Ors (2015) 4 NWLR (Pt 1447) 123 at 182,” the petition reads in parts.
The party called on the NJC to investigate some of the cases handled by Justice Aderibigbe, adding that the competence of the jurists should be subjected to scrutiny.