The Oyo State High Court in Oyo town, on Thursday, struck out a lawsuit filed against Governor Seyi Makinde by kingmakers in Oyo over the choice of the next Alaafin.
Justice Ladiran Akintola struck out the suit after the counsel for the kingmakers, Kazeem Sobaloju (SAN), represented by I.B Olayinka, opted to withdraw it.
The claimants in the suit are the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Ayoola, Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Oyedepo; Akiniku of Oyo, High Chief Amuda Yusuf; Areago Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Waheed Oyetunji and Alapo of Oyo who is also Warrant Officer for Alaapini of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.
The kingmakers, also known as Oyomesi in Council, had in the suit marked HOY/38/2023, prayed for a court injunction to restrain the governor and his agents from overruling their selected candidate for the vacant throne of the Alaafin of Oyo.
The revered ancient stool became vacant April last year, following the passing of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who was the 45th Alaafin of Oyo. Adeyemi died aged 83 after reigning for 52 years.
The kingmakers said they had duly selected Prince Lukman Gbadegesin as the next Alaafin of Oyo.
They sought an order restraining the governor from nullifying their choice and replacing him with someone else.
The court had fixed Thursday for hearing, but when the matter was called, the claimants’ lawyer told the judge he had filed an application for discontinuance and had at the same time filed a fresh suit marked HOY/14/2023 as a replacement.
He prayed the court to proceed to hear the new suit but Justice Akintola, in response, said, “The case file has to be looked into before the date for hearing will be fixed. The date for hearing would be communicated.”
Addressing journalists outside the courtroom, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, who is the second defendant in the matter, said the claimants withdrew the old suit “perhaps to correct some of the errors in their process or to improve their case.”
On his part, the claimants’ counsel said, “Let’s wait for the new date, the substituting matter is HOY/41/2023.”
Meanwhile, some indigenes of Oyo town again stormed the court in solidarity with the kingmakers against the state governor.
They were led by Olaniran Rasaq, popularly called Haji Wako; Sharafadeen Oyeleke and Sabitiyu Yekini.
They appealed to Makinde not to ignite a crisis in the state by announcing without further delay the new Alaafin selected by the kingmakers.
