Kogi Govt Seeks Reversal of Ruling Ousting Paramount Traditional Ruler
By Yahaya Idris, Lokoja
The Kogi State Government has officially filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal in Abuja, contesting the recent removal of Alhaji Tijani Ahmed-Anaje as the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
This decision follows a ruling by a State High Court in Lokoja, which deemed his appointment invalid.
The appeal was lodged on February 5, 2025, and it seeks to overturn the High Court’s decision that led to his removal.
The Kogi Attorney General, Mr Muzi Abdullahi, who is also the 2nd claimant in the appeal, made this disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice Umar Salisu of Lokoja High Court ruled in favor of Daudu Adeku-Ojiah, Hussain Yusuf, and Abdulrahaam Suberu, who challenged the appointment of Ahmed-Anaje by former governor Yahaya Bello as the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, and ordered the termination of the paramount ruler’s appointment.
The plaintiffs, represented by Mr. Lawal Rabana (SAN), had filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ahmed Ododo, the State Attorney General, Muzi Abdullahi, and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Ahmed-Anaje, as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants in a case that originated in Okene before being transferred to Lokoja.
The three plaintiffs had urged the court to declare that the procedure used in appointing the 3rd Defendant to the throne of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was wrongful and unlawful.
They also contended that the process contravened the Procedure of Ascension to the Throne of Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, Edict No 3 of 1997 guiding the appointment of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
Ododo and the attorney-general have filed an appeal, naming Adeku-Ojiah, Yusuf and Suberu as 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents, challenging the lower court’s decision.
In the reliefs sought, the state government urged the appellate court to allow the appeal and enter an order overturning the decision of the lower court.
They also requested that the court dismiss the suit of the 1st to 3rd Respondents at the trial court for lacking in merit.
They stated that the ruling in HCO/12c/2006, which is Exhibit 1 and relied upon by the 1st to 3rd Respondents, was an interlocutory ruling regarding the processing, nomination, selection, and appointment of certain individuals as Ohis to the five districts of Okengwe/Okene, Eia, lhima, Adavi, and Eganyi.
In their five grounds of appeal, they alleged that the Learned Trial Judge erred in law and reached a perverse decision by heavily relying on Exhibit P.O 4 annexed to an Affidavit of Facts in Response to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Defendants Notice of Preliminary Objection.
“The Learned Trial Court erred in law and made a perverse decision, to the detriment of the Appellants, when it relied on an interlocutory decision in suit no: HCO/12c/2006 between Dr. Habibu Angulu Sani v the Kogi Govt & 5 Ors.”
“They contended that the trial judge erred in law and caused a miscarriage of justice against the appellant by assuming jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit, even though he lacked jurisdiction.”
” They also contended that the court’s judgment was contrary to the weight of evidence presented during the trial.”
The claimants, however, urged the court to permit the appeal and dismiss the respondents’ case and the lower court’s judgement.
