Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, was hauled before an Osun State High Court in Ikirun over the nomination of Prince Muritala Oyelakin as the new Aree of Iree. Adeleke is accused of breaking the law in this respect.
Prince Ali Afolabi, a competitor for the Aree throne from Olubonku Ruling House in Iree town, filed the lawsuit and charged Governor Adeleke with disobeying the law and eschewing due process in the new election.
It was “a rape of the Constitution and complete fraud,” according to Ali, who petitioned the court to declare the whole selection process invalid.
The state’s Attorney General, Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Prince Oyelakin have also joined the lawsuit.
“A declaration that by Native law and Custom of Iree Kingdom And Aree Chieftaincy, a person can only be validly selected to Aree Chieftaincy by an election/selection by the Kingmakers in Iree Kingdom and no one else,” was what Ali, the plaintiff, sought the court for in the complaint.
Additional prayers are: “A declaration that the 5th defendant (Oyelakin)’s appointment as the Aree of Iree and the 15th defendant’s recognition of it as the Aree of Iree, as suggested by the 2nd and 4th defendants (Iree Local Government Council), are unjust, unfair, and void.
“An order setting aside the selection/election process that produced the 5 defendant as the Aree of Iree being for being conducted or participated in by non Kingmakers in line with the native law and custom of Iree.
“Declaration that Olubonku ruling house is the only Chieftaincy ruling house Competent to present candidate for the Aree Chieftaincy being the only ruling house that has yet to rule since 1866 when Atanda Olubonku ruling house ruled between 1795 to 1866.
“An order of injunction restraining the 1st to 4th defendants by themselves or proxies or by whatsoever/whatever name he/she or they are known from accepting the candidature of the 5th defendant or any candidate from any ruling house(s) of Aree Kingdom than the plaintiff ruling house.
“An order of injunction restraining the 5th defendant accepting or parading himself as the elected Aree of Iree King.”
After Prince Oluponle, whose appointment had been authorized by former governor Adegboyega Oyetola in the latter stages of his term, was removed from office by Governor Adeleke, the stool of Aree became vacant.
After the former governor’s loss in the state’s July 2022 gubernatorial election, Adeleke accused him of disregarding due process and hurrying to install certain monarchs.
The kingmakers and other resentful parties who had previously sued the state government over Prince Raphael Oluponle’s appointment were required to withdraw their lawsuit prior to the new selection process, as stated in a White Paper released by the state government in January 2024.
The state administration went forward with the new selection in violation of the White Paper, even though the pending issue had not yet been withdrawn as instructed due to the strike called by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Osun State.
It was learned that the kingmakers went to an Osun State High Court in Ikirun on Monday, March 11, with an application to withdraw the ongoing matter in response to JUSUN’s decision to end its nearly three-month strike, following the contentious new selection process on February 22, 2022.
Ali said that by authorizing Oyelakin’s appointment prior to the required 21 days, Governor Adeleke had violated Section 20, Sub Section (2) of the Chief’s Law (cap. 25) Laws of Osun State, 2002.
“The law stated that after selection of a monarch might has been done, the governor shall not approve or set aside that selection until after 21 days. Recall that the selection of Oyelakin was made on February 22, 2024 while Governor Ademola approved it by issuing an approval letter to Oyelakin on March 6, 2024.
“This action by the governor makes the letter of approval illegal and a violation of the same law that Governor Adeleke swore to obey.”
He added, “If Governor Adeleke accused former Governor Oyetola of not following the rule of law and breaching process, the governor has done worse by jettisoning the law including the White Paper he issued. This is grass injustice on the good people of Iree and it should not be allowed to stand.
“To ensure that this injustice and breach of constitution do not stand, I have, through my lawyer, challenged the fresh selection in court.
“We have filed a case against the Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Prince Oyelakin, asking the court to declare the fresh selection as illegal and nullify it.”
He insisted that the Boripe North local council development authority had not fulfilled its legal obligation to name warrant chiefs to fill the post of kingmakers, which was empty.
“Out of the four kingmakers alive, two voted while the other two voted in proxy, a situation that contravenes due process and rendered the entire process illegal and unacceptable.”
