Alex Omenye
Days after he was sacked as the Obong of Calabar by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu has been re-elected. He was re-elected and proclaimed by the Etubom Conclaves.
This information was contained in a statement signed by 13 members of the Etubom Conclaves and read to newsmen by the Conclaves Chairman, His Royal Majesty, Etubom Ntiero Efiwwat, at the palace of the Obong.
On January 13, 2023, the Supreme Court of Nigeria released its 42-page judgment confirming that the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, remained sacked as the Obong of Calabar.
“The Court of Appeal may have found that first respondent (Abasi Otu) qualified to contest for the stool. It, however, held that from the only evidence available to the High Court, the only impression a reasonable man would have of the process is that appellants of the second set of appeal (Etubom Traditional Council) used their positions in Western Council unfairly to the disadvantage of the first respondent (Ani) in breach of the pillar of natural justice that a person should not be a judge in his own cause.
“Since the evidence of the second appellant (Etubom Okon Asuquo of the Etubom Traditional council) was that the first screening of first respondent (Ani) was cancelled, and he was not notified of the cancellation and afforded the opportunity to be screened again when another screening exercise was conducted by second appellant on another date for other candidates, the first respondent was undoubtedly denied the right to be heard in the selection process that led to proclamation of first appellant as the Obong.” The judgment read.
The judgment that deposed the Obong was signed by Justice Amina Adamu Augie and made available to journalists in Calabar.
The judgment also confirmed that the appellant, Etubom Anthony Ani, has a chance of becoming the Obong but can be hindered because he was not duly capped and recognized by the Obong in Council.