Sacked Monarch Re-emerges As Calabar King
The Efik highest king-making body, the Etuboms Traditional Council, on Monday returned Edidem Ekpo Abasi-Otu as the Obong of Calabar.
This came barely
four days after the Court of Appeal declared the stool vacant and
ordered a fresh selection process to elect a new monarch.
The
appellate court on Thursday upheld the ruling of a state High Court,
which declared the emergence of Otu as the Obong of Calabar in 2008 as a
nullity.
The appellate court also
ruled that a former Finance Minister, Chief Anthony Ani, on whose
instance the lower court initially ousted Otu, was not qualified to vote
or seek to be the Obong.
However,
the 12 kingmakers in the ETC on Monday converged in the Obong’s Palace
and unanimously returned Otu as the Calabar monarch.
In
a statement by the ETC Chairman, Micah Archibong and the Secretary,
Etim Asuquo, the kingmakers said they conducted a fresh selection in
accordance with the provisions of the 2002 Constitution of Etuboms’
Council.
The statement read,
“Following the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting at Calabar on
July 4, 2013 ordering the selection of another Obong of Calabar, the
most senior Etubom of Atai Iboku group, Lawrence Asido, presented their
unanimously selected nominee to the throne in the person of Etubom Ekpo
Okon Abasi Otu of Adiabo Ikot Mbo Otu House.
“Having been fully
satisfied with the candidate’s qualification and eligibility, and there
being no dissent whatsoever among the kingmakers, the Etuboms’ Conclave
therefore declared him the successor, and hereby convey his proclamation
as the successor to the throne of Obong of Calabar, today, July 8,
2013.”
