(Lokoja)
A coalition of elders in Koton/Karfe, Lokoja and Ajaokuta local government areas on Sunday, called for a review of the law rotating the Chairmanship of the Kogi State Traditional Council.
Duaglobalnews reports that the elders made the call in Lokoja at a joint press conference while responding to the recent Federal High Court court’s judgement, ceding Koton/Karfe, Lokoja and Ajaokuta local government areas and recognising to Igala Kingdom.
The representative of Ohimege, Igu Koton/Karfe, Dr. Abdullahi Bako, said both the Igalas from Kogi east, Ebira from Kogi Central and Lokoja/Koton Karfe from Kogi West, were from the same ancestral home.
According to him, the Chairmanship of the Traditional Council must not be perpetual in one area.
“The Chairmanship of the state’s Traditional Council has always been domiciled in Idah since the creation of Kogi State,”he said.
Meanwhile, the coalition of elders and traditional rulers from Lokoja, Koton Karfe and Ajaokuta, have rejected the June 2 federal high court judgementin a matter between His Royal Majesty, Micheal Ameh Oboni, Attah Igala and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The court granted the claimant, Attah Igala, relief suggesting that the affected local governments are part of the Attah Igala’s kingdom.
Speaking on behalf of the elders, the member representing, Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency, Barr. Shaba Ibrahim, said without prejudice to their right to challenge the judgement on appeal, the affected areas hereby express the total rejection of the verdict and it inherent consequences.
He said:“That we are not parties to the proceedings, neither were we at anytime aware of the pendency of any action in respect of our ancestral land despite been in active possession for over two centuries prior to this action.
” Since judgement of a court binds only parties to the proceedings, we therefore consider the pronouncement of the court ceding our land to the claimant as bizarre and ipso facto unacceptable.
“That the claim before the court as gleaned from the processes filed was in effect one of declaration of title land.
“It is our humble position and an elementary principle of law that the Federal Hgh Court, sitting in Lokoja lacks the jurisdiction over land matters or action connected therewith.”
He said the cause of action in the case having arisen since 1841, “is statute barred, stale and thus rendering the action unmaintainable.”
