Ekiti Governor appoints acting chief judge

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has appointed Justice Lekan Ogunmoye as acting Chief Judge of the state.

Disclosing this, Olayinka Oyebode, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, announced in a statement released in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday night.

According to Oyebode, the appointment “is in furtherance of the powers conferred on the Governor by Section 271(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).”

He added that “the appointment of Hon Justice Ogunmoye takes effect from November 5, 2024.”

He stated that the acting Chief Judge replaces the former Chief Judge, Hon Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, who passed away on Monday.

Ogunmoye, who was born on November 6, 1963, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987, and was appointed a judge on April 1, 2010.

Oyebode stated, “Governor Oyebanji wishes the new Acting Chief Judge a successful tenure.”

The former Chief Judge, Oyewole Adeyeye, passed away after a brief illness.
Olanike Adegoke, Chief Registrar of the Ekiti State Judiciary, confirmed his death on Tuesday.

In a statement released by Michael Oba, the judiciary’s Public Relations Officer, Adegoke paid tribute to the late Chief Judge, describing him as “a respected jurist who dedicated his life to upholding the principles of fairness, equity, and justice.”

“The contributions of the late Chief Judge to the judiciary and Ekiti State as a whole are immeasurable. His legacy will be deeply missed,” Adegoke stated.