Oyo State High Court sitting in Awe, Oyo State, has struck out a case filed by the Oyo kingmakers ( Oyo Mesi) against the state governor, Seyi Makinde, the state Attorney General and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters on the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo over administrative defect.
The PUNCH reports that the stool became vacant after the death of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, who died at the age of 82 and ruled for 52 years.
The claimants in the suit no HOY/14/2023 are the Bashorun of Oyo, Chief Yusuf Layinka; Lagunna of Oyo, Chief Wakeel Oyedepo; Akinniku of Oyo, Chief Amusa Yusuf; Areago Bashorun, Chief Wahab Oyetunji and the Alapo of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.
They were seeking court injunction restraining Makinde and his agents from overruling their choice on the selected candidate for the vacant stool.
According to them, “due diligence was followed in the selection/appointment of the candidate for filling the vacant stool of Alaafin of Oyo duly conducted by the kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy.”
While ruling on the notice of preliminary objection as filed by the defendants, on Tuesday, Justice Ladiran Akintola said there was no proof of service to notify the governor of the outcome of the selection process as carried out by the kingmakers.
The failure to serve the notice of the outcome on the governor thereby affects the substantive case, and as such, the case was struck out.
It was stated in the ruling that, “This court found merit in the Notice of Preliminary Objection filed by the defendants/applicants against the claimants/respondents in this case.
“The same succeeds, accordingly all the issues raised for determination of this court by learned counsel on both sides are thereby resolved in favour of the defendants/applicants but against the claimants/respondents.
“Consequently, the suit initiated by the claimants/respondents in this case against the defendants/applicants is thereby struck out.”
In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, on Friday, the lead counsel for the claimants, Kunle Sobaloju (SAN) said a notice of appeal and motion for injunction pending an appeal have been filed at the Court of Appeal and Oyo High Court, respectively.
Commenting on the judgment, Sobaloju said the judgment that was passed, on Tuesday, was on a preliminary objection filed by the defendant which is the Governor of Oyo State, Attorney General of the state and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
He said, “By that preliminary objection after we filed our case which they challenged against on the ground that we did not comply with the condition precedence of filing an action of that nature.
“According to them, what was the condition precedence, they said the Secretary of the Local Government, Atiba Local Government did not notify the governor of the Oyo Mesi on the selection of Prince Lukman Gbadegesin as the candidate to fill the stool of Alaafin of Oyo.
“Our response to that objection is to the effect that that duty is imposed on by the law, that is Section 19 of the Chieftancy Law on the Secretary to the Local Government and not on the kingmakers and we exhibited evidence that the kingmakers forwarded their decision to the Secretary of Atiba Local Government.
“We also exhibited a letter from the Secretary of Atiba Local Government acknowledged by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters. That is the only means to which the governor can be involved. You can not go to the governor and serve him directly.
“We also argued that even the issue is an issue of evidence that the governor can only prove whether he was served or not with proof of evidence. It is not the issue that the court can determine by way of preliminary objection.
“However, it is the failure to serve the notice of the decision of the kingmakers on the governor that affects our case, and as such, it was struck out.
“We have filed a notice of appeal and motion for injunction pending an appeal. What was considered on Tuesday was the notice for preliminary objection. The merit of the case is yet to be considered.”