A high court sitting in Abeokuta on Tuesday has ordered the state government and 75 sacked coronet Obas to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the substantive suit before the court.
The 75 coronet traditional rulers who were sacked by the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun have dragged the State Government to the Court to seek redress.
Justice AA Akinyemi in his ruling on the interlocutory injunction filed by the coronet traditional rulers through their counsel, Olumide Oniyire insisted that the status quo of the appointment of the traditional rulers should be maintained.Justice Akinyemi explained that the relationship that existed between the claimants and the defendants prior to the termination of their appointments on February 6, 2020 should be maintained pending determination of the suit before the court.
Under the admintration of Ibikunle Amosun, The State Government on May 13, 2019 confirmed the appointment and upgrading of some community chiefs to coronet Obas, the appointment was, however reversed by Dapo Abiodun administration on February 6, 2020.
According to the Sun, Oniyire had earlier accused the state government of allegedly intimidating and assaulting the claimants from presenting themselves as native rulers.
The counsel argued that hostility towards the demoted 75 traditional rulers began after the revocation of their appointment by the state government on February 6.
He prayed the court to grant the interlocutory injunction and order that the status quo remains until the court determines the legalities of the appointments.
He said; ‘The claimants were sacked and, despite the fact that the case is still in court, the defendant has been harassing, intimidating and embarrassing the claimants at their various communities where they reign,’
‘Chieftaincy cases are very sensitive matters. We expected that the defendants should have waited until the determination of the case.
‘We are applying for accelerated hearing of the case and we pray that the status quo before the letter of revocation should remain and be maintained,’ Oniyire pleaded.
Defence counsel OA Dankuwo urged the court to give them a date to file their processes.
Dankuwo argued that the status quo should be maintained after the revocation of the appointment of the Coronet Oba.
According to her, the proper time to maintain the status quo should be at the time of the revocation.
‘The act has already been done before they came to court and as such the status quo should be after the revocation of appointments,’ the defence counsel argued.
The case has been adjourned to July 7 for further hearing.
