EKITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi on Thursday rebuffed the opposition by the aggrieved 17 prominent traditional rulers arising from the appointment of Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, as the chairman of the traditional rulers’ council.
The aggrieved monarchs had filed a suit at Ado-Ekiti High Court seeking the nullification of the appointment.
According to them, Fayemi contravened the Chieftaincy Law, which stipulates that the chairman can only be appointed among Alademerindinlogun/Pelupelu Obas.
They claimed in their deposition that the promotion of Alawe to Pelupelu status was political and that could not grant him the power to become the chairman of the traditional council.
As earlier vowed, the 17 aggrieved Pelupelu Obas shunned the inauguration ceremony that was attended by many first-class and other monarchs under the aegis of Majority Obas’ of Ekiti State.
The governor, who spoke at the inauguration held at the Conference Hall, Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti, called on all royal fathers to support his administration’s efforts at bringing development to every part of the state.
Fayemi urged the aggrieved monarchs to eschew baseless and unnecessary rivalry that can lead to a communal clash, saying peace was the most important ingredient for growth.
He said the time has come for the traditional rulers to bring their powers to bear to resolve the vicious insecurity level across the nation.
Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi said the reconstitution of the Council of Traditional Rulers became imperative following the expiration of the tenure of the outgone council in July 2019.
Oba Egbeyemi said Fayemi’s approval to reconstitute the council was in tandem with section 2(3) of the Council of Traditional Ruler Law no 3 of 2000.