• We’re not aware of such, says govt
• Adeleke denies rift with Ooni of Ife

A coalition of civil society organisations in Osun State, yesterday, accused the governor and the state’s House of Assembly of planning to remove the state Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo.

The coalition, including Transparency and Accountability Group (TAG), Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Dialogue 360 and the Osun Civil Society Coalition, during a press briefing in Osogbo, further accused the Executive and the Legislature of interfering with the Judiciary.

A statement jointly signed by representatives of the groups, Ayodeji Ologun (TAG), Emmanuel Olowu (CDHR), Ismaheel Adedokun (Dialogue 360) and Wole Folaranmi (OSCSC), said the scheme to oust Ojo “appears to be a reprisal against the Chief Judge for her principled stand against attempts to manipulate the Judiciary in the state.”

However, the state government said it was unaware of any plot against the state’s Chief Judge, even as it affirmed its commitment to due process and stipulated regulations across the arms of government.

MEANWHILE, a viral video showing the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at an event in Ondo State has been stirring controversy within the polity in the state and more deeply on Internet.

The trending video, shared on various social platforms, saw Adeleke delaying the reciprocation of a courtesy extended to him by the monarch who stood up from his seat upon sighting the governor being ushered into the party arena.

The development was seen as a disrespect to the royal throne by many social media users as others expressed concerns at what they described as “the monarch’s likeness for attendance at parties and other public events.”

In some quarters, rumour has been rife that Adeleke has not been on good terms with the first class monarch.

Reacting, the Osun State Government has dismissed speculation of love lost between the duo, alleging that the viral video showing Adeleke ‘delaying’ response to the courtesy of the monarch at an event last weekend was fake and doctored.

A statement, yesterday, signed by Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said that the video was not the true reflection of what transpired at the event, adding that the state government has released the original video of the exchange of pleasantries between Adeleke and Ogunwusi.

Alimi said that the duo had earlier exchanged pleasantries at the palace of the Osemawe of Ondo, where Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi bagged a chieftaincy title before meeting at the reception.

He urged the public to disregard the doctored video.