BREAKING: Supreme Court Removes Obong Of Calabar
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
The Supreme Court has ordered the removal of Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V as the Obong of Calabar.
In a decision handed down by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, the court ordered the kingmakers and Traditional Rulers’ Council to hold a new selection process for the position in accordance with the 2002 constitution of the Palace.
The ruling was a result of a suit filed by former minister of finance under late Gen Sani Abacha regime, Etubom Anthony Ani, and others, who claimed that Otu and others on the Etuboms’ Traditional Council had disregarded the screening process for the Western Calabar.
The court also stated that Etubom Ani, who had not been inducted into the Etuboms’ Council at the time of the selection process, was not eligible to vote or be voted for as the Obong of Calabar.
“That the 1st Appellant (Abasi Otu) was traditionally qualified and eligible to vote and be voted for as the Obong of Calabar under Exhibit 1/20 at the time of the selection process”, hence the Appeal court set aside the selection process that produced Etubom Ani as candidate and also set aside the March 31 proclamation of Etubom Abasi Otu as Obong Ordered by the Etuboms’ Conclave of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, whose mandate it is under Article 5(a) (ii) (iv) of Exhibit 1/20, to do so and it “to conduct another process of selecting a new Obong of Calabar, in accordance with the provisions of Exhibit 1/20 and in strict compliance with the rules of natural justice”.
However, the deposed Obong is still qualified to participate in the selection processes and may still be voted for, according to the judgment written by Justice Amina Augie and read by Justice Akomoye Agim.
This is the fourth time the Obong, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, would step down for another selection exercise.
Some of the kingmakers who were at the private residence of the Obong near Tinapa Resort were heard saying “till tomorrow Edidem Ekpo Okon will still win the fresh selection processes, till tomorrow”.
