Crisis looms in Egbe town, Yagba west local government area of Kogi state over the traditional stool of the town as two people are laying claim to the throne.
Already, the state government is been threatened with contempt of court as it had allegedly violated the law by proceeding with the installation process despite the pendency of a suit over the throne.
One of the princess of the town, Folorunso Ampitan had in August 2016 approached a Kogi state high court sitting in Isanlu to challenge the selection of a traditional ruler for the town
However despite the ongoing litigation, the state government announced the appointment of Abiodun Agbana as the Baale of Egbe and was thereafter given a letter of appointment on Thursday.
But following the announcement of the appointment by government, counsel to Ampitan, Chief Tunji Ologbonyo, petitioned the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over the development, warning that the move amounted to contempt of court.
He said the petition dated December 14, 2017, was written with the belief that the governor was nlt aware or was not properly briefed about the stool of Baale of Egbe.
The petition read, “We wish to let you know that the stool of the Baale of Egbeis not only being contested but is wlso a matter under litigationbefore the Kogi state High Court of Justice, sitting in Isanlu/Egbevide suit No KGS/HC/10/2016 between Chief (Capt) Folorunsho Aremu Ampitan and HRH Oba Ayodele Irukera”
Other defendants in the suit, according to the petition, were Yagba West traditional council, Okun area traditional council, ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Kogi state council of chiefs, Kogi state Attorney General and Commissioner for justice and the state governor.
He said the suit was filed based on the assertion of of Oba Irukera that he had not acted on the recommendations made to him on the suit filed on August 2, 2016, adding that all the defendants had been served and had filed Memorandum of Appearance.
The petition further read, “The position of the law is that when a suit ispending in court, no party is allowedto interfere with the subject matter of the suit until it is finally determined by the trial court”.
Ampitan argued that when itbwas discovered that the defendants were feet dragging on the suit, a motion for an interlocutory injunction was filed to restrain all actions in respect of yhestool pe ding the final determination of the suit, saying the motion was granted by the presiding judge.
He said having been informed of the issues surrounding the stool, the governor should order a reversal of the proported appointment to the stool as it was done in error, saying “the reversal of the appointment should be made with seven days after the receipt of this letter which should also be published in the same manner as the appointment was done”.
However speaking on the development, the special adviser to the governor on local government and chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Okere, said the appointment was in accordance with the law no of 23 of 2006 on the appointment of traditional rulers.
He maintained that due process was followed on the appointment, as the era of imposition of illegal traditional ruler on the process was over.
