*Orders service of court process through substituted means on Olubadan, 11 newly coronated Obas
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The legal battle on Ibadan beaded Crown Tussle on Wednesday, took a new twist as the judge handling the case, Justice M.O Adegbola ordered the return of the case file back to the Chief Justice for reassignment
Also, Justice Adegbola ordered the service of the 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 Ibadan and the 11 newly coronated Obas.
The claimant lawyer, Barrister M. O. Folorunso at the resumed hearing on Wednesday told the court that all attempt to serve the defendants in respective home addresses failed as the defendants were not available to receive the court service.
Upon this, Justice Adegbola ordered that the substituted service be employed through pasting the orginating process in the palace of Olubadan of Ibadan land at Alarere area, Ibadan.
However, the judge ordered the return of the case file back to the Chief Justice for reassignment, saying, ” I am close to the parties in the case”.
“My closeness to the claimant; second and fourth defendants would impugn on my credibility and that of the judiciary. The best in the circumstance is to step down in handing of the matter”.
Justice Adegbola stressed 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”,
