Court strikes out suit against Calabar Monarch

Posted by admin Cross River, Headlines, State News Friday, April 6th, 2012

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Calabar
A State High Court sitting in Calabar and presided over by Justice Obojor Ogar has struck out the suit challenging the selection of the paramount ruler of Calabar South Local Government of Cross River State, His Majesty Muri Munene Effiong Okokon Mbukpa.

Four Kingmakers from the six ancestral clans of Efut nation of the state had in a suit No. HC/304/2011, dragged the Muri Munene Mbukpa to court alleging that under the customs and traditions of the Efut people, only the Muris of the recognized six Ancestral Clans were entitled to participate in the selection process and or contest for the royal stool.

The king makers in the suit sought for a declaration that the purported selection of Muri Mbukpa who is from Efut Abua as the Muri Munene of Efut, Calabar South was contrary to the accord reached on the recognized representatives of the Efut original eight clans.

The king makers prayed to the court to declare that Muri Mbukpa was not qualified to be selected and or appointed the Muri Munene of the Efut nation and a declaration that it was only the Muris of the six Efut ancestral clans that have the power to select one person among themselves as Muri Munene of the Efut.

However, the plaintiffs on March 2, 2012 filed a notice of discontinuance of the matter in pursuant to Order 24 R. 1(1) of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules of Cross River State 2008.

In his judgment, Justice Ogar said, “Upon this suit coming before this honourable court in its competent jurisdiction and upon a notice of discontinuance dated and filed on the 2nd of March, 2012, J.U. Adung Esq. of counsel for the 1st Defendant not objecting and R. Bassey (SC11) Esq. of counsel for the 2nd and 3rd Respondent not objecting, it is hereby ordered that the claimants are hereby granted leave to discontinue the suit and the suit is accordingly struck out.”

It was gathered that since the monarch was selected as the paramount ruler of the Calabar South Local Government Area after performing the traditional rites of the transited paramount ruler, series of appeals had been made by the people of the area to Governor Liyel Imoke to issue certificate of recognition to him but the governor was yet to do that.

Investigations revealed that a highly placed government official had been frustrating every efforts to give the paramount ruler the certificate of recognition despite efforts the natural monarch had made to restore peace to the area.

-Vanguardwp_posts