The Court of Appeal in Akure Ondo state, has ordered all parties to halt any action on the Akirun of Ikirun chieftaincy until it determines the pending appeal.
The order followed a Motion on Notice filed by Oba Yinusa Akadiri, the Akinrun of Ikirun, through his counsel, N.O. Oke SAN.
Oba Akadiri drew the court’s attention to a letter written by Chief Kareem Adetoyese, the Eesa and Chairman of the Kingmakers, stating that he was acting on the directives of the state governor to call on the Gboleru Ruling House to present candidates for the stool.
The monarch also referenced an Osun State Government White Paper which directed that all issues on the Akirun chieftaincy crisis be put on hold until the subsisting appeal at the Court of Appeal Akure is decided.
Despite this directive, Oba Akadiri’s counsel told the court that the Eesa had written to the Gboleru Ruling House to begin the selection process as ordered by Governor Adeleke.
Counsel urged the court to order all parties to maintain the status quo as contained in the White Paper.
The counsel to the various parties in the appeal, including G.A. Adesina for the appellants’ Gboleru Ruling House and Bamidele Salami from the office of the Attorney-General of Osun State, agreed that no action should be taken pending the determination of the appeal.
Chief Sola Ebiseni, the counsel to the kingmakers, lsupported the motion and the need to maintain the status quo in the interest of justice and peace in the community.
He informed the court that the appeal was originally set for hearing, as all parties had filed their respective briefs, but was adjourned due to an application for substitution of deceased clients.
In its ruling, the Presiding Judge, Justice S.O Nwaka Gbagi noted that despite the government White Paper advising all parties to halt the processing of nominations for the Akirun of Ikirun, counsel to the 15th respondent informed the court that the 4th respondent had been calling for nominations.
This was confirmed by counsel to the appellant and other respondents.
