Tussle Over Muri Munene Stool Moves To Supreme Court

By Emma Unah

Tussle for the Muri Munene stool, the Paramount Ruler of the Efuts in Calabar, Cross River State has moved to the Supreme Court after one of the claimants to the throne, Muri Effiong Mbukpa, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling of the Appeal Court sitting in Calabar on the protracted contest for the post.

In the appeal at the Supreme Court in Abuja by his counsel, Chief Fidelis Onyebueke, Muri Effiong Mbukpa, said he was dissatisfied with the ruling of the Appeal Court, which failed to quash a letter written by the Cross River State Government ordering for another selection exercise after he had been enthroned by kingmakers in the kingdom.

He is contending in the appeal that “the Appeal Court said the letter by the Cross River State Government was merely administrative which cannot be quashed, so for the lower court to dismiss the appeal means that the Government of Cross River State has business in the selection of Muri Munene contrary to Section 20 of the Traditional Rulers Laws of Cross River State 2004.”

According to the appellant, by Sections 20 and 22 of the Traditional Rulers Law 2004, the Cross River State Government has no business in the selection of Muri Munene.

“The Muri Munene is the natural ruler of the Efuts in Calabar South and is mentioned among the rulers that Government of Cross River State has no business in its selection.”

He said the Appeal Court erred in law when it held that the letter of “September 18, 2012 was purely an administrative act which cannot be quashed by certiorari proceedings contrary to the Supreme Court’s decision in JSC Cross River State vs Young (2013).”

Muri Effiong Mbukpa stated that the decision of the Government of Cross River State to set up a panel to inquire into the Muri Munene stool was a breach of the law of Traditional Rulers Institution of 2004.

He accordingly urged the Supreme Court to set aside the judgement of the Appeal Court and also quash the letter by the Cross River State Government ordering another selection of the Muri Munene.