by crossriverwatch admin
The Etuboms’ Traditional Council, the Efik King making body has pledged its willingness to obey the ruling of the Court of Appeal which on Thursday nullified the processes through which the Edidem Abasi Otu was crowned the Obong of Calabar.
In a press statement on Friday from the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, Effaga Nsa Street, signed by Chairman of the Council, His Royal Highness, Etubom Okor Bassey Duke, the Etuboms’ Council said it had no choice than to obey the decision of the appellate court to which it had appealed to nullify the decision of the judgment of a Calabar High Court which faulted the processes through which the dethroned Obong had emerged..
The Etuboms’ Council asserted that being capped was a mandatory requirement for anyone to lay claim of being eligible to contest for the post of Obong of Calabar which accounted for the rejection of Chief Anthony Ani, former minister of finance during the General Sani Abacha regime who is not a capped chief.
“Consequently, the entire Efik community and all well meaning people welcome the decision of the court that Chief Anthony Ani is not traditionally qualified and eligible to contest to be the Obong of Calabar”..
The statement said the ruling by the court firmly puts paid to “his spurious and vexatious claims to the position that he knows he is not fit for; this simple truth is what we have been insisting on and we shall continue to maintain it till the end of time”.
According to the Etuboms’ Council, the fact that Edidem Okon Abasi Otu was not excluded from participating in the new processes for the selection of Obong affirms the fact that he is truly of an agnate origin of the founding fathers of the Efik Kingdom which qualifies him to occupy the exalted traditional position. “This vindicates our earlier stance and voting pattern where Anthony Ani with all his resources scored only one vote against the then Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu”.
Taking a swipe at some of Efik sons who have been in positions of authority and allegedly acquired ill-gotten wealth, without directly mentioning Chief Anthony Ani, the king makers said “Those who have gotten access to tremendous wealth through dubious means should seek forgiveness of God by using such wealth charitably and not be tempted to use such wealth to destroy ancient traditions and culture”.
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