By SUNTV Global Channel | December 18, 2025
A fresh crisis is brewing in Ondo State’s judiciary as magistrates, presidents of Grade ‘A’ customary courts, and legal research officers have announced a statewide withdrawal of services beginning January 5, 2026, over what they describe as the state government’s failure to genuinely implement judicial financial autonomy.
The affected officers, operating under the umbrella of the Coalition of Magistrates, Presidents of Grade ‘A’ Customary Courts, and Legal Research Officers in Ondo State, said their decision followed months of what they termed “continued lip service” by the executive arm of government to constitutionally guaranteed financial independence for the judiciary.
SUNTV Global Channel gathered that the resolution was formally conveyed in a letter dated December 10, 2025, and submitted to the offices of the Chief Judge of Ondo State and the President of the Customary Court of Appeal on December 17 and 18 respectively.
According to the Coalition, the persistent failure to operationalise financial autonomy has taken a severe toll on the welfare, dignity, and effectiveness of judicial officers across the state. They lamented that critical entitlements such as official vehicles, improved allowances, and essential institutional support have been consistently denied, thereby undermining the justice delivery system.
“The absence of genuine financial autonomy has negatively impacted operational efficiency, welfare, and the independence required for judicial officers to function optimally,” the Coalition stated.
This development comes despite earlier assurances by the Ondo State Government. In June 2025, the government announced that it had granted financial autonomy to the judiciary following the suspension of a two-week industrial action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
At the time, the Secretary of JUSUN in Ondo State, Alade Kehinde, confirmed that the strike was suspended after a meeting with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Akure. He said the government committed to constituting a committee and commencing implementation of judicial autonomy from July 2025.
“Commitment on the part of the state government to implement our demands on compliance with the provision of the law on release of funds to the Ondo State judiciary informed our decision to suspend the strike,” Alade had said.
The Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), had also publicly assured judiciary workers of the administration’s commitment to judicial independence. He stated that the Aiyedatiwa-led government remained dedicated to fiscal responsibility and peaceful industrial relations, adding that judicial autonomy was constitutionally guaranteed.
However, six months after those assurances, senior judicial officers now insist that little has changed in practical terms, prompting the decision to down tools.
With the planned withdrawal of services set to commence in early January, legal observers warn that Ondo State may face significant disruptions in court activities unless urgent steps are taken to resolve the standoff.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ondo State Government had yet to issue an official response to the latest announcement.
