The aggrieved Paramount Rulers who headed to court to challenge the enactment of the controversial amended Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Law, 2022 are said to be in a fix, Straightnews has gathered.
Paramount Rulers numbering 13 from Annang, Oro and Obolo ethnic nationalities had instituted a suit in Akwa Ibom High Court, Uyo challenging the Oku Ibom Ibibio occupying the position as the President-General of Council of Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers in perpetuity.
Not done, 15 Paramount Rulers, clan, village and family heads from the same nationalities gathered at Ati Annang Secretariat, Ikot Ekpene on Monday, October 16 and issued a 26-point communique, rejecting the law described as ”inflammatory and obnoxious.”
Also read: Royal Fathers Recognising Supreme Council’s President-General face sanction in Akwa Ibom
Straightnews gathered from insider that though the royal fathers did not express their sentiments following Governor Umo Eno’s directive for them to withdraw the suit against him before settlement of the thorny issue, they were said to be uncomfortable with the decision.
It is understood that some of the royal fathers are in a fix as the Governor did not proffer a solution to the contentious issue after they might have withdrawn the suit from the court, a situation seen as ‘monkey business.’
However, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno has pleaded with the Paramount Rulers to remove the legal obstacle so that they could resolve the ripples generated by the amended controversial Akwa Ibom Traditional Rulers Law.
The governor stated this position Tuesday while addressing Paramount Rulers from the 31 local government areas on ways to resolve the lingering issues around the leadership of the President-General of the Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, Tuesday at the State Executive Council Chambers, Uyo.
‘‘I am here informing you of my readiness to have this conversation with you and to walk with you on the path that must lead to the destination of peace and unity. But there is however an existing impediment- the law suit filed on this matter.
‘‘With the pendency of this law suit, any in-depth discussion or intervention therein will be subjudice. Therefore, I urge you to remove this legal obstacle, cease all media and politically motivated media wars and return here let us amicably resolve this issue, to the satisfaction of all.’’
‘‘Despite this obviously provocative response, I still offered an olive branch on Sunday, 24th September, at the State Thanksgiving service, where I asked that I be invited to your meeting so that we can discuss, since you spurned my invitation. Till today, I have not received any invitation from you, rather, I have read very inciting, provocative and inflammatory press releases, interviews and the sort.
‘‘Today, I invited you to come let’s reason together, express our fears, concerns and demands in an atmosphere of brotherhood and unity, not acrimony and strife. I am calling on you to drop sentiments and let us discuss objectively in order to reach solutions that will help us not just today, but the generations unborn.
‘‘As a leader, I have been very careful with the things I have said since this challenge surfaced because words are powerful and like a shot arrow, once spoken, cannot be retrieved,’’ Governor Eno noted.
Speaking for Oro Nation, the Paramount Ruler of Mbo, Ogwong Okon Asuquo Abang apologised on behalf of the paramount rulers from Oro nation for not attending the first meeting earlier called by the Governor to resolve the matter.
Similarly, the Paramount Ruler of Etim Ekpo, Professor Amanam Udoh who spoke for the paramount rulers in Annang nation, also apologised to the Governor for not being present at the earlier meeting.
On his part, the Paramount Ruler of Ibesikpo Asutan, Edidem Clement Ekpenyong, thanked the Governor for summoning the meeting, and promised to work with his colleagues to resolve the issue.
