CALABAR — APPEAL Court sitting in
Calabar, yesterday, confirmed a Calabar High Court ruling which, in
October 2012, nullified the processes for the selection of Obong of Calabar
through which Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu emerged as Obong.
The court ordered for
another selection process to elect an Obong for the Efik.
In a unanimous decision, Justice
Mohanmmed Lawal, Justice Uzor Ndukwe and Justice Onyekachi Okisi, the Appeal
Court judges agreed that the selection processes through which
Etubom Abasi Otu emerged to become the Obong of Calabar was not all inclusive
and thus new processes should be instituted for all eligible persons
to undergo the selection of Obong.
The judgment also disqualified
Chief Anthony Ani, who is the first respondent from contesting since he was not
a capped chief, which is a prerequisite for the qualification to contest
for the post of Obong.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to
Chief Anthony Ani, Mr. Bassey Offiong said: “The court delivered
judgment in part.
“So many issues were in contention
including first, whether Etubom Anthony Ani was qualified to contest for the
stool.
“The court ruled that since he was
not capped, he was not qualified to contest for the Obongship stool based on
the constitution of Obong council.”
He said secondly, the court
considered the issue of natural justice and said Etubom Ani was not given fair
hearing during the selection process because his complaints were not listened
to and therefore another selection exercise should be conducted which is
all inclusive.
Reacting, Etubom Anthony Ani
said he would study the judgment before taking a decision whether to appeal.
or not. “Well, I was not in
court and my lawyer just briefed me. So far, I see the ruling as 50-50 affair.
I will look at it, see how it affects me and may be appeal the judgment.
“However, one thing we are sure of
for now is that there is no Obong of Calabar because the judgment today has
nullified the entire processes. For the Efik people now, there is no Obong”.
On his part, counsel to Obong
Barrister A.A Archi of Nella, Lawal and Rabana chambers said the judgment is a
vindication that capping is a fundamental requirement for a candidate to be
eligible to be qualified to contest for selection, election or appointment to
the Obong of Calabar throne.
“The judgment also upheld our view
that a learned trial judge, with all due respect, sought to perpetually alter
the standing and recognized customs of the Efiks which would have affected the
lives and people of the community”.
according to him the barring of
Etubom Ani from the selection processes is a vindication that the Obong
of Calabar, was eligible to be selected and appointed as Obong “although
the court nullified the processes but we are still confident that the he will
still after due processes have been followed emerge as the Obong of Calabar”.
Chief Ani, the counsel said is not
qualified and “will no longer be qualified to contest since he was not
abintio capped while all others who are qualified will be eligible to contest.
”For Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu, he
is qualified and eligible to stand in for another selection processes.
Source: Vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment