An Oyo State High Court sitting in Oyo, on Thursday, adjourned till December 14 to hear Governor Seyi Makinde’s preliminary objection to a suit filed by Oyo kingmakers, also known as Oyomesi in Council, over the selection process to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo.
Justice Ladiran Akintola adjourned the case after taking submission for the parties in the suit marked, HOY/41/2023.
The kingmakers who sued the governor are 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.
Apart from Makinde, also listed as defendants in the suit were the Oyo State Attorney General and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
The kingmakers, in their suit, are seeking a court injunction to restrain Makinde and his agents from overruling their selected candidate for the vacant throne of the Alaafin of Oyo.
It was reported that the revered Alaafin stool became vacant after the demise of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who ruled for 52 years and died at the age of 83 in April 2022.
The kingmakers said they had duly selected Prince Lukuman Gbadegesin as the next Alaafin of Oyo.
They are seeking an order restraining the governor from nullifying their choice and replacing him with someone else.
At the Thursday proceedings, their lawyer, Kazeem Sobaloju, said the defendants had served him with a notice of preliminary objection and he had in turn filed a counter-affidavit.
He, however, urged the judge to make an order “for maintenance of the status quo in spite of the notice of the preliminary objection filed by the defence counsel.”
But the defence counsel, L.A. Abiola, told the court he was prepared for the hearing, remarking, “We are not running away from the legal battle.”
The judge, however, adjourned the matter till December 14 for further proceedings.
