Our Reporter
The 75 coronet monarchs demoted by the Ogun State Government have sued Governor Dapo Abiodun to reverse their downgrading.
In the suit, which joined the Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs; House of Assembly and the Attorney-General as defendants, the traditional rulers said their upgrading, which took effect from May 13, 2019, is pursuant to Sub-Section (1) & (2) of Section 25 of the Chiefs Law, Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.
Former Governor Ibikunle Amosun upgraded the baales as coronet obas of their communities at the twilight of his administration.
But the Chieftaincy Review Committee set up by Governor Abiodun recommended the reversal of their appointments.
In the originating summon, a copy of which The Nation obtained, the monarchs are seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants either by themselves or through their agents, servants, privies or any other persons acting for them from preventing them from acting, parading or referring to themselves as coronet obas, having been earlier upgraded, appointed and promoted by the state government.
The claimants are, therefore, seeking a declaration that the activities and recommendations of the review committee are an afterthought and a nullity.
They also sought: “A declaration that the defendants are stopped from reversing or revoking the upgrading, appointment and promotion of the claimants as coronet obas in Ogun State and/or preventing claimants from acting, parading or referring to themselves and being referred to as coronet obas of their communities.
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“A declaration that the defendants cannot capriciously reverse or revoke the upgrading, appointment and promotions of the defendants in the absence of any complaint against the upgrading, appointment and promotion of the claimants duly brought to the attention of the claimants for their defence/response.
“An order setting aside the purported reversal or revocation of the claimants upgrading, appointment and promotion as coronet obas in Ogun State; an order compelling the defendants to rescind forthwith the purported reversal and/or revocation of the upgrading, appointments and promotion of the claimants as coronet obas of their communities…”
The monarchs are also compelling the defendants to pay all remunerations and entitlements due but unpaid to each of them over their communities from May 13, 2019 when their upgrading took effect to date and thereafter.
Hearing has been fixed for April 27 at a High Court sitting in Abeokuta.
