Mr. Adekola Olawoye, SAN, the immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State has etched his name in gold for making history as the first Attorney General to be sacked by his principal for refusing to be a part of executive lawlessness and impunity.
According to sources, Olawoye gets relieved of his appointment for insisting that Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, the Governor of Ondo State obeys the Ruling of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division which directed the immediate reinstatement of four members of the Ondo State House of Assembly who were illegally suspended by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly some months ago.
Delivering judgment in a suit filed by the suspended lawmakers, the High Court of Ondo State (per Bola, J.) ordered the immediate return of the suspended members to their legislative duties upon finding the action of the Speaker unlawful and illegal. In a bid to deprive the successful parties of the fruits of the judgment, the State Government immediately filed an Appeal and accompanied same with a motion for stay of execution. When the motion for stay of execution came up for hearing before Their Lordships of the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, the Court of Appeal had no difficulty in dismissing the application and further describing it as frivolous. The Panel led by Hon. Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, PJCA further directed that the lawmakers be allowed to continue their legislative duties.
OLAWOYE, SAN had insisted to no avail that his appointor obeys the judgment of the High Court against which no motion or order for stay of execution is pending. For the flagrant disregard for the rule of law and the sanctity of the judiciary exhibited by his principal, OLAWOYE had planned to tender his resignation letter before the Governor got hint of his move and got him fired.
For me, Olawoye, SAN deserves to be celebrated and his name engraved in a special place in the history of the rule of law in Nigeria.
I wish the nominee to the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ondo State, Sir Charles Titiloye, KSM a successful tenure in office and I wish he grabs this same opportunity whenever one presents itself.
I celebrate Olawoye SAN as my 2020 icon of the Rule of Law. Respect sir.
My name is Vincent Adodo, I am legal Practitioner.