Sequel to the obvious legal gap created by the absence of a division of the Court of Appeal in Osun State, the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA, Osogbo Branch) has set up a committee known as the COURT OF APPEAL FACILITATION COMMITTEE.
The decision by the Osogbo NBA to set up the committee for the establishment of the state’s Court of Appeal became necessary owing to overwhelming demands by indigenes and non-indigenes alike after the court cases that trailed the state’s governorship election in 2018 in which the Supreme Court finally affirmed Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s victory as duly elected governor.
However, before the case got to the Supreme Court, there were unnecessary and avoidable drudgery of long distance travels with its attendant high cost of transportation and delays due to congestion of other cases awaiting mention at the Appeal Court.
Already, the country boasts of seventeen divisions of Court of Appeal with the most recent inaugurated by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa in Asaba capital of Delta State on Monday, February 3.
As customary with the established seventeen divisions of the Court of Appeal in the country, the court due to its significance is usually sited in the state capital for easy access to all. Hence, the calls in some quarters for the establishment of the court in other places other than Osogbo, the state capital may not stand.
The Osogbo NBA in a circular obtained exclusively by Newsclickng.com said the eleven-member committee chaired by Mr. G.A. Adesina will amongst other things:
- lobby the government of Osun State through the office of the Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Osun State, towards making the state government see the long overdue need to demand the approval of a division of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria for Osun State;
- to reach out to other Branches of the NBA in Osun State for their collaboration in achieving the location of a division of the Court in Osun State;
- to contact and persuade other prominent and influential Nigerians, whether legal practitioners or not, to support and help in realising the purpose of the Committee; and
- to do all other things lawful and necessary to ensure the realisation of the Committee’s mandate.
See full members of committee below:
1) Mr. G. A. Adesina
(Chairman)
2) Mr. Soji Oyetayo
(Alternate Chairman)
3) Mr. A. O. Sanusi
(Member)
4) Mrs Julie Olorunfemi
(Member)
5) Mr. S. B. Ajibade
(Member)
6) Mr. F. N. Ukaegbu
(Member)
7) Mrs C. O. Fasugba-Odutayo
(Member)
8) Mrs S. O. Ola
(Member)
9) Mr. Akintayo Oyedele
(Member)
10) Mr. Olusola Ajao
(Member)
11) Mr. Phillips Afolayan
(Secretary)
Newsclickng.com reports that all committee members have since been issued their letters of appointment.
