Despite a restraining court order, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a bill aimed at ending the rotational headship of the state Traditional Rulers Council (TRC). This bill allows for permanent headship by the majority Ibibio ethnic group in the state.
On Friday, the 8th State House passed the Bill to amend the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155 Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2023 (HAB 316), despite opposition from the Annangs, Akwa Ibom’s second-largest ethnic group, who sought a restraining order from the State High Court presided over by Justice Ntong Ntong.
The State Legislature passed the Bill after receiving the committee’s report from Mr. Mfon Idung, representing Etim Ekpo/Ika State Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. The proposed law aims to dignify and sustain the integrity of the traditional institution in Akwa Ibom while placing traditional institution heads on equal footing with other respected chiefs in the country.
The Annangs had taken the House to court, seeking a restraining order before the bill’s passage. Their lawsuit, SUIT NO: HU/321/2023, cited several legal provisions and applicants, including His Majesty, Obong Blaise Udofia Awaka-Ama (Itai Afe Annang), Obong Prof. Alphonsus Udo, and Obong E. E. P. Umanah, representing Afe Annang and the Annang Tribe Of Akwa Ibom State against the Akwa Ibom State House Of Assembly, the Speaker, and the Attorney General of the State as Respondents.
In the Enrolment Order Upon The Motion Experte, the Hon Justice Ntong ruled on the matter, “After hearing Jumbo Udom, Esq. (with him Emmanuel Isangedoho, Esq. and Anthony Udonsa, Esq) of learned Counsel for the Applicants and upon the learned Counsel for the Respondents being absent.
“After reading thoroughly and meticulously in between lines the processes file by the Applicants, especially paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Affidavit of Urgency to this Honourable Court, about the threats of violence and bloodletting grounded in the application.”
The court ordered, “That the Respondents be and are restrained from passing the proposed amendment of the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap 155, Laws of Akwa lbom State 2022 pending hearing of the Motion on Notice dated 22/9/2023 (page 29 of the record of this Court).
“That this case be and is hereby adjourned to Wednesday 27 September, 2023 for hearing of the said Motion on Notice when all parties will be at par.”
The situation is said to be generating tension within the State TRC and aggrieved people of Annang who has vowed not to let the said bill see light of day.
Annangs anger over the bill is fueled by the perception that it is willfully contrived to end the rotational headship of the state’s TRC to reserve office of the President General (PG) for the Oku Ibom Ibibio.
The Oku Ibom Ibibio is Head King overall Ibibios, the majority ethnic group in the state and monarchs of second largest Annang ethic group say they “reject in entirety” the proposed law to amend the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155, Laws of Akwa Ibom State to make the Oku Ibon Ibibio permanent head of the TRC.
In the position affirmed by Annang nation signed by HRM Akuku Cosmas Okon Akpan (Akwa Akuku Annang), Paramount Ruler, Essien Udim Local Government Area and seven other Paramount Rulers of Annang ethnic nationality, the monarchs said the bill is discriminatory, conflicts with the Nigerian constitutional and unacceptable.
Vanguard had captured the monarchs state, “We have observed the discriminatory provisions in the bill. Section 47 (1) of the proposed law reads, ‘The President-General shall be the Oku Ibom Ibibio representing the largest ethnic group in the state.
“Section 48 reads, The Vice President (I) shall be the Akuku Annang, representing the second largest ethnic group in the State. The Vice President (II) shall be the Ahta Oro, representing Oron nation, the third largest ethnic group in the State.
“The cited provisions of the proposed law are not only derisory, condemnable, discriminatory, provocative, insulting, but also inconsistency with section 42 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“It is in our firm view, that section 47 and 48 of the proposed law/bill cannot pass the litmus test of Section 42 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“Hence, no matter how Section 47 and 48 of the proposed law/bill would be interpreted, it cannot pass the inconsistency rule as provided for in Section 1(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“We insist that the Office of the President-General, The Vice President (I), and Vice President (II) be rotational and base on the three senatorial districts that make up Akwalbom State as usual.
“With all sense of honesty, the proposed law is hereby rejected in its entirety by the Annang extraction of Akwalbom State, for not only being inconsistent with the ground norm but also repugnant to equity and good conscience.”
