Alaafin: Oyomesi tells Makinde: Suspend new process to fill vacant seat

The legal adviser to some kingmakers in Oyo (Oyomesi) town, Lawyer Kunle Sobaloju (SAN), has urged Governor Seyi Makinde to suspend all plans to initiate a fresh process to fill the vacant chair of Alaafin of Oyo.

The lawyer made this request in his letter to Makinde on Thursday after it was revealed that the governor had ordered the resumption of the process of electing a new Alaafin of Oyo.

In the letter, he stressed that any attempt to restart the selection process must be brought before the courts “to take all steps that could render the decisions of the Court of Appeal ineffective.”

“We wish to state this in view of the pending appeals in Appeal Number: CA/IB/134/24 High Chief Yusuf Akinade Ayoola Layinka & Ors v. Governor of Oyo State & Ors and the pending application for interim injunctions restraining Your Excellency, servants, agents, assigns and/or privies or otherwise from aborting the process of selecting/appointing the candidate to fill the vacant Stool of Alaafin of Oyo duly conducted by the Kingmakers of the Chieftaincy of Alaafin of Oyo and/or removing the appellants/applicants as Kingmakers of the Oyo Alaafin or dissolving the Oyomesi in Council and/or appointing or selecting Warrant Chiefs to conduct or commence a fresh process or exercise to fill the vacant Stool of Alaafin of Oyo, pending the determination of the appeal against the judgment of Justice Akintola of the High Court of Oyo delivered on the 16th day of April, 2024, it would be for Your Excellency to take any steps that may render the decisions of the Court of Appeal ineffective.”

Lawyer Sobaloju (SAN) stressed that if Governor Makinde went ahead with the initiation of the fresh process to fill the vacant seat of the Alaafin of Oyo, such a move would be “sub judice and tantamount to lawlessness and contempt of the higher courts, an act from which Your Excellency should distance yourself.”

According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the Supreme Court has on several occasions frowned upon parties engaging in self-help in court, stating: “Particular reference is made to the decision of the Supreme Court in Ajuwon & Ors v. Governor of Oyo State & Ors. (2021) LPELR-55339(SC) where the Supreme Court observed: ‘…it is unthinkable that a democratically elected Governor should indulge in unhealthy and undemocratic tendencies.

“We therefore once again request and urge Your Excellency, in accordance with the law and the integrity of our courts, to stay any plans to initiate a fresh process to fill the vacant post of Alaafin of Oyo while an application for interim injunction pending appeal is pending,” the letter added.