Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
A high court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital has voided the proclamation made by the state government to relocate the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Area from Iye-Ekiti to Eda-Oniyo.
The state government through the deputy governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi had on Monday made a proclamation announcing the relocation of the headquarters to Eda-Oniyo given the December 14 2018 judgement of the Supreme Court.
Ruling on the application by the claimant (Iye-Ekiti) on Wednesday, the presiding Judge, Justice Abiodun Adesodun said the first and second respondents should have waited for determination of the suit before the court before making the proclamation.
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Justice Adesodun described the decision of the government as an act of, “executive rascality and self help” adding that the status quo should have waited pending the final determination of the case.
Counsel to the claimant, Taiwo Kupolati while making his final address argued that the decision of the government contravened the local government administration law of 1999 which recognized Iye-Ekiti as the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Area.
Kupolati said the community was not a party to the suit leading to the judgement of the supreme court, noting that there was no statute backing the proclamation of the government on the relocation.
He called on the court to enforce the right of the claimant and save the state from what he described as “absolute recklessness.”
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“It is lawful for persons in govt authorities to respect laws, and that the entire process of relocation was a jungle process hiding laws from the Supreme Court.”
Counsel to the first (state government) and second (Attorney General) respondents, Yetunde Kolawole revealed that the state government made the proclamation in compliance with the supreme court.
Kolawole added that it would amount to contempt of court for the state government to jettison the decision of the apex court in the country.
On his part, counsel to the third respondent( Eda-Oniyo Ekiti), Deji Adetifa argued that the court could not go against the judgement of the supreme court, disclosing that the law recognized hierarchy of court.
He noted that the claimants should have approached the supreme court if they had any grievance on the ruling not the high court, urging the court to dismiss application with heavy cost against the claimants.
” Assuming without conceding that the claimant has genuine grievances against the Supreme Court ruling, the appropriate thing is to go back to the apex court for review not this court.
” Coming here is a wrong place to seek reversal and we want the court to decline the invitation to embark on judicial rascality,” Adetifa said.
Justice Adesodun however fixed November 19, 2019 for judgement on the case.
