AfriPulse
An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has dismissed a suit challenging the appointment of Prince Adenike Ogundahunsi as the regent of Araromi Obo Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The suit with no HAD/07/2023 was filed by Princess T.O. Ajayi Olowokere, Chief Lawrence Alabi of Owa-Olobo-in-Council and Pa Francis Adedara of Owa Olobo Chieftaincy Ruling House in Araromi-Obo, Ekiti.
Joined in the suit was the Governor of the State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekiti State, Dayo Apata (SAN); the Executive Secretary of the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Chairman, Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Pa Joshua Bankole and Adenike Ogundahunsi.
The court presided by Justice Olalekan Olatawura also dismissed an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mrs Adenike Ogundahunsi from parading herself as the regent of Araromi-Obo, Ekiti State and awarded a sum of N10m against the 3rd-6th defendants severally as general damages.
Counsel for the plaintiffs, Paul Akomolafe, had argued that Princess Ogundahunsi was not the rightful person for the throne, hence she should be removed.
The defendants’ witnesses led by their counsels, James Olowoyo, a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Justice representing the 1st-4th defendants and Kayode Oyeyemi representing the 5th-6th defendants, also adopted their witness statement on oath dated 5th April, 2024.
After careful consideration of the facts of the case placed before the court, Justice Olatawura, in his judgment failed to grant the prayer of the plaintiff.
Justice Alatawura said: “In my considered view, since the law and governance abhors a vacuum, common sense dictates that it will be in the interest of justice if the 6th defendant continues to act as a Regent and perform her duties as the interim ruler of Araromi-Obo, Ekiti until such time as the kingship tussle is determined one way or the other, or the Governor and/or the Ekiti State government determine otherwise.
“This, I believe, is a situation under section 4 (2) of the Regency Law 2015, which provides that the tenure o
Source: TribuneOnlineNG | Read the Full Story…
