January 19, (THEWILL) – The Etubom Conclave of Efik kingdom has again re-elected and proclaimed His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu V as the Obong of Calabar.
His re-election came barely a week after the Supreme Court, in its January 13, 2023 judgement, dethroned the Obong of Calabar and ordered a fresh election that would be fair to all.
Etubom Anthony Ani had in 2008, challenged the selection of Edidem Abasi-Otu as Obong of Calabar from the High Court up to the Apex Court.
The Supreme Court had upheld the judgment of the Appeal Court, which had earlier disqualified Etubom Ani from the Obongship contest for not being capped.
However, in obedience to the Apex Court Judgment, the Conclave, after hours of painstaking reselection process, said the process was successful with all the Etuboms going for the Monarch.
In a statement signed by HRH Etubom Ntiero Edem Ofiong Effiwat, Chairman, Etuboms’ Conclave, and the Secretary, HRH Etubom Edem Ita Esien Ededem, the Kingmakers said: “Following the judgement of the Supreme Court sitting at Abuja on 13th January 2023, ordering that the Etuboms’ Conclave, the kingmakers of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, should conduct another process of selecting Obong of Calabar in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Etuboms’ Council 2002 and strict compliance with the rules of natural justice, among other things, the Etuboms’ Council has promptly complied with that Court order by taking all the necessary steps leading to and convening the Etuboms’ Conclave and conducting another selection of Obong of Calabar.
“The turn to produce the next Obong of Calabar, after the demise of His Eminence Edidem (Prof) Nta Elijah Henshaw VI, being that of the Atai lboku group of Houses (in Western Calabar) as provided for under The Constitution of Etuboms’ Council 2002, the qualified Etuboms, who fall under this group, were communicated to and directed to produce and present their nominee to the Etuboms’ Conclave by Wednesday, 18th January 2023.
“The most senior Etubom of the Atai lboku group, HRH Etubom Otu Efa Otu, presented their selected nominee for the throne of the Obong of Calabar in the person of HRH Etubom Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu of Adiabo lkot Mbo House.
“Having been fully satisfied with the candidate’s qualification and eligibility, the Etuboms Conclave, therefore, declared him the successor, and hereby conveys his Proclamation as the successor to the throne of Obong of Calabar today,18th January 2023.”
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