FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
High Court sitting in Benin City has placed the Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpeholo and others on notice over a suit filed by the Okumagbe of Wanno Kingdom, George Egabor against the state government over his deposition and the installation of a new monarch.
It would be recalled that Okpebholo had ordered the immediate and indefinite suspension of Egabor, following a surge in kidnapping and killings in his domain in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area.
The presiding judge, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, in her rulling, dismissed an order of interim injunction filed by the deposed traditional ruler seeking a restraining order on the defendants for installing a new Okumagbe of Wanno Kingdom.
The court, however, placed the state government on notice and adjoined the case to June 11.
Aljazirah Nigeria recalls that Egabor had approached the court through his counsel seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agent or privies howsoever called from taking any steps or further step in commencing or continuing the process of selecting, appointing, recognising or constituting any committee or body of persons or in any way activating or further activating the process for the selection of the Okumagbe of Wanno Kingdom to replace him, (applicant) pending the determination of the motion on notice filed along with this application.
Or alternatively, the applicant sought an order for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum April 21 when the first respondent purported to have suspended the applicant, leading to subsequent developments such as arrests, detention and purported removal from office as the Okumagbe of Wanno Kingdom.
The court having heard from Chief Clement Onwuewunor (SAN), P. A Ugheoke, A. O Ugbekile, for the applicant, ordered as follows:
”| have perused the motion ex-parte and exhibits attached and considered the submission of the counsel for the applicant.
”The order sought to be restrained has been determined by the press release in support of the application. In another words, the horse has fled the stable.
”However, I am of the view that the respondents are to be put on notice to determine the substance of the interlocutory application.
”Having said this foregoing, I find no merit in the motion ex-parte for interim injunction and same is accordingly dismissed.”
