The 16-year legal battle over the Obong of Calabar's throne has officially ended, as the High Court in Calabar dismissed a suit seeking to dethrone His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V, over alleged irregularities in the reselection process.
In a landmark judgment on January 13, 2023, the Supreme Court had ordered the Kingmakers to conduct a fresh selection after appearing to disqualify a key contender, Etubom Anthony Ani, while affirming Edidem Abasi-Otu’s eligibility to recontest. Following this directive, the revered monarch was unanimously reselected for a third consecutive time.
Despite the Cross River State government formally recognizing his reselection in November 2023, a faction loyal to Etubom Ani rejected the outcome and returned to the High Court, challenging the process.
The claimants—Etubom Essien Efiok, Etubom Okon Asuquo, and Etubom Micah Archibong—filed suit number HC/278/2023, urging the court to nullify the selection and declare Etubom Ani as the rightful Obong. The defendants included Edidem Abasi-Otu V, the Cross River State Government, and the Attorney-General of the state.
However, in a surprising turn of events in November 2024, the principal claimant, Etubom Essien Efiok, sought to withdraw from the case, citing the "interest of peace." The Ani faction attempted to substitute him with Etubom Etim Nsa Ephraim, who was not a member of the Etuboms’ Council, leading to fresh legal wrangling.
The case took another dramatic twist on February 14, 2025, when the claimants applied to discontinue the suit, requesting “an order granting leave to discontinue proceedings wholly and entirely.” This time, the defendants did not object but set certain conditions.
Delivering judgment on March 4, 2025, Justice Elias Abua granted the claimants' request but ruled that the case be dismissed rather than struck out. “The application for withdrawal of the suit, which had already been scheduled for hearing, deserves a dismissal rather than a striking out,” he stated. In the spirit of reconciliation, the court ruled that each party should bear its costs.
Reacting to the judgment, Mrs. Nella Andem-Ewa (SAN), counsel for the Obong of Calabar, noted that the withdrawal came at a critical stage in litigation, where the principle of litis contestatio—a point of no retreat—had been reached. She reaffirmed the judiciary's role as a pillar of justice in resolving long-standing disputes.
One of the claimants, Etubom Micah Archibong, acknowledged that the withdrawal was in the interest of peace in Efik land. “The parties have agreed to let the matter rest. I personally have lost interest. My name has been used both positively and negatively, and I think it’s time for some rest,” he stated.
With this ruling, the long-drawn battle over the Obong’s throne has finally come to an end, reinforcing the legitimacy of Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V as the rightful ruler of the Efik kingdom.
Comments
Post a Comment