•Trial judge steps down from handling case
Justice M. O. Adegbola of an Ibadan, Oyo State High Court, sitting at Court 4 Ring Road, has ordered that court process through substituted means be served on some of the defendants in the case instituted by the former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, against Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun and the 11 newly coronated Obas.
When case came up for hearing, the claimant lawyer, Barrister M. O. Folorunso, told the court that all attempts to serve the court process to the defendants in their respective home addresses failed as they were not available to receive the court service.
The trial judge ordered that the substituted service be employed through pasting the orginating process in the palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland at Alarere area, Ibadan.
Also, Justice Adegbola further ordered the return of the case file back to the Chief Justice for reassignment, declaring: “I am close to the parties in the case.”
Said he: “My closeness to the claimant, second and fourth defendants would impugn on my credibility and that of the judiciary,” adding: “The best in the circumstance is to step down from handling the matter.”
He stated specifically that the court should be aware of his closeness to the claimant, Senator Rasidi A. Ladoja, 2nd and 4th defendants, and, in the interest of justice, “I have no option than to ask another judge to adjudicate on the matter.”
