Published On: Sun, Dec 16th, 2018

Delta:Supreme Court Okays Mike Nwaukoni As Prime Minister Of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom

Chief Mike


LAGOS DECEMBER 16TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Supreme Court has affirmed the emergence of Chief Mike Nwaukoni as the Iyasei (traditional Prime Minister) of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Delta State.
A five-man panel of the court, in a unanimous judgment on Friday, struck out the appeal filed by three members of two royal families in the kingdom for lacking in merit.

Justice Dauda Sidi Bage, who read the lead judgment, faulted the competence of the appeal filed against the July 12, 2010 judgment of the Benin division of the Court of Appeal, which upheld Nwaukoni’s installation as the 13th Iyasei of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Delta State.
Justice Bage said: “The amended statement of claim was found to be defective. The entire appeal therefore collapses. This appeal is hereby struck out. Parties are to bear their respective costs.”
Other members of the panel were Justices Dattijo Mohammed, Kumai Akaahs, Paul Galinje and Amina Augie.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Friday brought to a close the about 13-year dispute over who should occupy the traditional stool.
Augustine Arueze, Okonkwo Iyase and Chief Colins Afuwah – had, on behalf of the Umu-Uti family of Agidiase Quarters of Ogwashi-Uku, instituted the appeal, marked SC/55/2011, before the apex court.
They had prayed the Supreme Court to, among others, set-aside the July 12, 2010 judgement by the Court of Appeal, Benin, which upheld Nwaukoni’s installation as the 13th Iyasei of the Kingdom.
The appellants had argued that the Court of Appeal erred in allowing Nwaukoni’s selection and installation as the Iyasei.
They had equally contended that Nwaukoni is not a member of the two royal families, from where all the past Iyasei were selected.
The appellants argued that it’s was only Ugbekide (from the Chami lineage) and Umu Uti (from the Jogwa lineage of Agidiase, Ogwashi Uku of Aniocha South LGA Delta State, could produce an Iyasei.
The Benin division of the Court of Appeal had, in its judgment, reversed the March 20, 2008 judgment of the High Court in Ogwashi-Uku.
The High Court had, in its judgment, faulted Nwaukoni’s selection by the Ogwashi-Uku Council of Elders, known as the Obi.
The High Court had granted reliefs in a suit the appellants filed in 2005 to stop Nwaukoni’s installation as the Iyasei.

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