TRC law crisis: Ibom government and traditional rulers opt for out-of-court settlement
The Akwa Ibom State Government and the Traditional Rulers Council (TRC) of the state have agreed to resolve their differences over Section 155 of the Amended Traditional Rulers Act out of court.
Some royal fathers have appointed the Akwa Ibom State Government, the State House of Assembly and the Supreme Ruler of Nsit-Ubium Local Government Area, Ntein Solomon Etuku, to the TRC which gives Oku Ibom the office of President for Life and Permanent Presidency. The case was dragged into court over the amendment to Law No. 155. Ibibio, Ntenin Etuku.
The plaintiffs, including all the supreme rulers of Annan extraction who joined the suit, the supreme rulers of Wolfon Oluko, Okobo, Mbo, East Oboro, Ibeno, and the supreme rulers of Oron and Udun Uko local government areas, asked for a replacement. traditional stool.
However, at the hearing of the case on Thursday, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Barrister Ekpenyong Ntekim (former Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State), led five members, including Barrister Jumbo Udom, to ask for leave to seek a settlement. Oral application was made to the court. A brief adjournment for the court and parties to report the settlement.
Mr Ntekim said his application was premised on the parties’ desire to restore and maintain peace in the country.
However, the state Attorney-General and Attorney-General, Mr. Uko Udom, who was represented by the Director of the Civil Procedure Department, Advocate Bassey Ekanem, was not satisfied with the oral application.
He acknowledged that the state Attorney-General and former Attorney-General, Barrister Ntekim, met with the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to mediate for a peaceful resolution of the dispute, but the plaintiffs did not submit a written application. He argued that it should have been done. This is in line with the terms of the settlement.
The attorney-general’s representative’s objections were rejected by the court, citing the Habib Bank v. Rojijani Nigeria Limited case reported in 2010, and the Court of Appeal held that the court of first instance may require the parties to resolve disputes out of court. He said there is an obligation to encourage people to do so.
Judge Archibong said the lawyers’ arguments were clear that they wanted peace and conflict resolution, and that the form and manner of the application should not be an obstacle.
In an interaction with journalists, the plaintiffs’ lawyers, Ekpenyong Ntekim and Uyobon Jumbo Udom, expressed optimism that the dispute would be resolved as soon as possible given the state government’s positive attitude. expressed.
They expressed gratitude to the court for allowing the parties to consider an out-of-court settlement.
Source: dailypost.ng