Adeleke has 10-day ultimatum to pay judges’ allowances

Mutalubi Adebayo, a legal practitioner based in Ibadan, (SAN), has issued a 10-day ultimatum to Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, demanding the settlement of overdue allowances owed to retired and current judges in the state. Failure to comply with this request by September 30th would result in legal action initiated against Adeleke, scheduled to commence in a competent court on October 3rd, according to Adebayo.

In a statement he authored, dated Thursday, September 21, and obtained by our correspondent in Osogbo, Adebayo expressed his intent to not only seek the payment of outstanding allowances but also claim interest and aggravated damages related to the unpaid entitlements.

A portion of Adebayo’s statement reads as follows: “This notice is directed towards the Governor, the Government, and the Judicial Service Commission of Osun State, Nigeria. If all the arrears of allowances owed to both serving and retired Judicial Officers in the state, dating from the tenure of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola until the present, are not settled by September 30, 2023, I, JCI Senator Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN, will initiate legal proceedings on October 3, 2023, in a court of appropriate jurisdiction to recover the entire unpaid allowance amount from the Government of Osun State and its Judicial Service Commission.”

He further emphasized, “Please take note that I will also seek interest and aggravated damages in relation to these unpaid allowances, as the actions of the Government of Osun State in neglecting to fulfill these obligations over the years demonstrate a lack of empathy, irresponsibility, disregard for the rule of law, and unfair treatment.”

As of the time of reporting, there has been no response from the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, regarding this statement.