BY: Nick Nwaneri, Calabar
As crisis continues to rock the Obong stool following the recent Supreme Court ruling which dethroned the Obong of Calabar, Etubom Okon Abasi Otu, some legitimate Etuboms of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar have kicked against the purported re-selection process bringing him back to the throne
It would be recalled that recently Etuboms Traditional Rulers Council had set aside the Supreme Court ruling and went ahead to select Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu, as the Obong of Calabar.
Abasi Otu was dethroned by the decisions of the Supreme Court in Appeal “No.: SC.633/2013 – Etubom Anthony A. Ani & Ors v. Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu & Ors and Appeal No.: SC.634/2013 – Etubom Anthony A. Ani & Ors v. Etubom Essien Ekpenyong Efiok & Others.”
In a statement jointly signed by three of the Legitimate Etuboms on behalf of the Etuboms Traditional Rulers Council, the Etuboms stated clearly that all those who took part in the selection process were not qualified in the first instance to take part in the process.
The statement made it clear that HRH Etubom Essien Ekpenyong Efiok and HRH Etubom Micah Archibong VI who were the Chairman and Secretary respectively of the Etuboms’ Traditional Rulers Council as well as Respondents in both Appeals, should have conducted the proceedings in line with the 2002 Constitution as ordered by the Supreme Court, but that was not the case.
The Traditional Rulers relied on the Supreme Court decision which threw the fresh selection process open to Western Calabar comprising Ikoneto, Adiabo and Creek Town and the contestants should have been qualified before taking part in the process.
It stated categorically that those who took part in the process and proclamation are not qualified as eleven of them were those capped by the dethroned Obong of Calabar.
The traditional Rulers urged the state governor to intervene in the matter to forestall a breakdown of law and order and ensure the unbiased implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Court.
The statement was signed by HRH, Etubom Essien Ekpenyong Efiok, Chairman Etubom Traditional Rulers Council, HRH, Etubom Micah Archibong, Clan Head and Secretary Etubom Traditional Rulers Council 2007-2008 and HRM, Etubom Nyong Effiom Okon, Clan Central Calabar Traditional Council and Paramount Ruler Calabar South local government area.
