The Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Williams Akintoroye, has withdrawn from the case of the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the State House Assembly, Hon. Ogundeji Iroju, against the state assembly.

Recall that, the lawmaker representing Odigbo Constituency 1, requested the withdrawal of case from CJ’s court, alleging that the CJ would be unable to serve Justice in his case due to his(CJ’s) promise to work with the Assembly which is a respondent in the case before the CJ.

Ogundeji was impeached last year following crisis that erupted in the House of Assembly in the build-up to the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State where he kicked against a move to impeach the then Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi.

However, when the case came up for hearing yesterday, Justice Akintoroye dismissed the allegations of Ogundeji, saying he laboured hard for many years to build his name and would not trade it for anything not even a political case before him.

“I have my name to protect. I have laboured day and night to protect the only legacy I have, which is my name. I have not desecrated this seat. I have worked in virtually all judicial divisions in Ondo State without blemish. I practised for 18 years before I was appointed as a judge,” he said.

Describing the petition against him as contemptuous, the CJ said he would, however, not commit the lawmaker to prison for the offence against the integrity of the court.

He therefore, recused himself from the case, as he transferred the case to another registry for reassignment.

In a petition submitted to the Chief Registrar of the court, Ogundeji explained that Justice Akintoroye’s elevation to the position of CJ of the state would further undermine speedy dispense of his case due to administrative engagements.

He said his case was time-bound, yet it has not proceeded to hearing since he filed it in December 2020.