CSOs Accuse Osun Chief Judge of Forum Shopping in UBA Local Government Funds Case
A coalition of civil society organisations in Osun State has accused the state Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo, of engaging in forum shopping in a case involving the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and disputed multi-billion naira local government funds. The group described her handling of the matter as suspicious and damaging to public confidence in the judiciary.
The allegation was contained in a statement made available to journalists and signed by representatives of several civil society groups operating under the Network of Civil Society Organizations in Osun State. The groups also threatened to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the development.
The signatories include Olowu Emmanuel of the Social Economic and Civil Rights Advocacy, Tobiloba Richards Agboola of the Good Governance Initiative, Raufu Sodiq Akinkunmi of Youths for Better Nigeria, Olanrewaju Stephen of the Center for Accountability and Democracy, and Janet Olayemi Gbadebo of Grassroots Watch.
In the statement, the coalition accused the Chief Judge of demonstrating bias by transferring Hon. Justice M.O. Agboola from the Ifetedo Judicial Division to the Osogbo Judicial Division to hear what they described as a “mere ex-parte application.”
They alleged that the decision raised concerns about transparency and fairness in the administration of justice in the state. According to them, such an action undermines trust in the judicial process.
The groups stated that on January 29 and 30, 2026, the Chief Judge acted in bad faith in a matter involving Abiodun Layonu (SAN). Layonu had filed an application seeking leave for judicial review on behalf of UBA and other defendants in an ongoing criminal trial of UBA officials before the Chief Magistrate Court in Osogbo.
The coalition pointed out that the Osun State High Court has 22 judges, with Justice Agboola ranked 17th in seniority. They noted that the Chief Judge had earlier posted six judges to the Osogbo Judicial Division, while Justice Agboola was assigned to the Ilesha and Ifetedo Judicial Divisions.
Justice Agboola, they said, was scheduled to sit in Ifetedo on January 30, 2026, where he had eight cases listed for hearing. These cases involved multiple litigants whose matters were to be addressed on that date.
According to the statement, the reassignment meant that litigants in Ifetedo were deprived of the opportunity to have their cases heard as scheduled. The coalition described this as unfair to those affected.
They further stated that the Osogbo Judicial Division already had six judges assigned to it. These include Justice Adepele Ojo, Justice O.D. Afolabi, Justice Onibokun, Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, Justice Ayo Oyebiyi, and Justice Ayo Awe.
The group noted that five of the six judges in Osogbo are senior to Justice Agboola. They argued that it would have been logical for any of those judges to handle the application filed in the UBA matter.
They also claimed that the motion paper for the case bore “Court 4,” presided over by Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, suggesting that the matter had initially been assigned there. However, they expressed surprise that Justice Agboola was brought in from another division to preside over the application.
The coalition questioned why none of the six judges in Osogbo was considered suitable to hear what they described as an ordinary ex-parte application. They asked whether there was any personal interest or external influence affecting the assignment of the case.
The statement also alleged that the Attorney-General of Osun State had drawn Justice Agboola’s attention to applications challenging the court’s jurisdiction, including one alleging bias. The coalition claimed those applications were ignored.
The civil society groups said the circumstances surrounding the reassignment created the impression of compromise. They referenced previous public concerns raised by prominent Nigerians about the integrity of the justice system.
According to them, the action of the Chief Judge amounts to misconduct and abuse of power. They insisted that depriving litigants in Ifetedo of their scheduled court hearings in order to hear an ex-parte application in Osogbo was unjustifiable.
The coalition called for a thorough and independent investigation into the matter. They urged the Osun State House of Assembly, the Osun State Judicial Service Commission, and the National Judicial Council to examine the incident and take appropriate action.
They maintained that accountability is necessary to preserve the rule of law and public trust in the judiciary. As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the office of the Chief Judge regarding the allegations.
The controversy adds a new dimension to the ongoing legal dispute involving UBA and the management of local government funds in Osun State, a matter that has drawn significant public attention.
