Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, on Friday, passed the amended Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2023, earlier presented as an Executive Bill.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Udeme Otong, announced the passage at plenary following a report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs read by its Chairman, Rt. Hon. Mfon Idung.
The law, as passed, has Friday, September 22, 2023, as its commencement date.
The bill was read the third time before it was finally adopted and passed by the House. It scaled through the first and second readings, last week.
The new law allegedly approves a permanent seat for the Chairman of the State Council of Chiefs, against the former one-year rotation scheme for Paramount Rulers of the 31 local government areas of the state.
Rt. Hon Idung said the amended law, among other provisions, would dignify and sustain the integrity of the traditional institution in the state, while also placing heads of the traditional institution in equal rank with other reputable chiefs in the country.
The law is expected to be assented by governor Umo Eno for immediate action
Meanwhile, Justice Ntong F. Ntong of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State, earlier on Friday, September 22, gave an order restraining the respondents – the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, the Speaker of the House and the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State – from passing the proposed amendment of the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155 Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2022 pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice dated 22/9/2023, and brought by His Majesty, Obong Blaise Udofia Awaka-Ama, Itai Afe Annang; Obong Prof Alphonsus Udo and Obong E. E. P. Umanah, for themselves and on behalf of Afe Annang Tribe of Akwa Ibom State in Suit No. HU/321/2023.
The motion exparte dated 22 September, 2023 was brought pursuant to Section 42(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 43 —45 of the Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Law, Cap 155, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2022, Order 39(1) and (3) of the Akwa Ibom State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2002 under the inheritance jurisdiction of the court.
The Court, “after reading through and meticulously in between the lines the processes file by the applicants especially paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Affidavit Urgency about threats of violence and bloodletting, grounded the application”
It had also adjourned the case to Wednesday, 27th September, 2023 for the hearing of the said motion when all parties will be at par.
Group kicks
Reacting, the Annang Professionals Network, a group of lawyers in Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district, has faulted the passage of the Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155 Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2023.
Dr. Okon Idung and Barr Ekemini Uwa Umo exclusively told Insight newspapers, on Friday evening, that the group was “concerned” with the passage of the law.
The group stressed that the passage of the law signifed, “an invitation to anarchy”.
