Retired judicial officers in Kogi State have issued a 14-day ultimatum to Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to settle their long-overdue entitlements and allowances, warning that failure to do so will prompt legal action.
In a strongly worded statement, JCI Senator Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN, condemned what he described as the “callous, abnormal and irresponsible withholding” of rightful payments due to the retired judges. He stressed that such entitlements are “rights, not privileges,” and decried the current administration’s neglect as an act of executive recklessness and oppression that undermines the administration of justice.
Senator Adebayo recalled his recent advocacy for the judicial officers in Osun State, where timely intervention by Governor Ademola Adeleke led to the prompt payment of arrears without the need for litigation. He commended the Osun government’s proactive approach and transparency in resolving the issue, contrasting it with the Kogi State government’s failure to act despite repeated appeals.
Highlighting previous similar struggles across various Nigerian states, including Oyo State under Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Adebayo referenced historic cases where retired judges had to resort to court orders to claim their rightful dues—a fight that was eventually resolved by responsible governance committed to justice and fairness.
The retired judges of Kogi State, many of whom have suffered months or years of unpaid allowances, have been left to “suffer in silence,” according to Adebayo, who calls this treatment “tyranny” and “anti-people.”
“Whenever government acts irresponsibly and unconstitutionally,” Adebayo wrote, “it is imperative to scrutinize the officials, particularly the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, whose role is critical in upholding rights and the rule of law.”
In closing, Senator Adebayo gave Governor Ododo two weeks from the date of the statement to fulfill all outstanding payments or prepare to face a judicial challenge seeking not only the arrears but also damages and punitive costs for the prolonged neglect.
“Injustice to one anywhere is injustice to all everywhere. Irresponsible and non-responsive government must not be tolerated in the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he asserted.
Contact:
JCI Senator Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN
Asiwaju of Ita-Ege & Idi-Aro, Ibadan South-East LGA
Agba-Ofin of Orile-Igbon, Surulere LGA, Oyo State
Phone: +234 803 327 5495, +234 818 158 5848
Email: [email protected]
