The Oyo State kingmakers, popularly known as Oyo Mesi, have applied before the state High Court to substitute their suit against the state government over the process for the selection and appointment of the candidate for the vacant Alaafin stool.
The kingmakers had filed a suit against the governor, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to stop them from aborting the process for the selection and appointment of the candidate for the vacant Alaafin stool.
Other claimants in the suit No. HOY/38/2023, which was struck out, were: Laguna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Oyedepo; the Akiniku, High Chief Amuda Yusuf; Areago Basorun, High Chief Waheed Oyetunji and the Alapo, who is also the Warrant Officer for Alaapini of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau.
They were all absent during the court sitting.
Lead counsel for the claimants, Kazeem Sobaloju (SAN), said they had filed a notice, dated October 31, to discontinue the suit, as a fresh one, with No. HOY/14/2023 had been instituted.
Mr Sobaloju had, on Monday, requested the maintenance of the status quo on the two motions pending before the court.
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His prayers could, however, not be granted, as the defence counsel argued that they had yet to file a counter-affidavit on the ex parte motion.
It was because of this that the court adjourned the case.
However, counsel for the claimants, rather than progressing with the case as earlier sought, filed a motion for discontinuance of the previous case and substituted it for a new one.
Mr Sobaloju prayed to the court for a hearing of the new suit.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola, said the case file had to be looked into before the date for hearing would be fixed.
Consequently, Justice Akintola struck out the case and informed the lawyers that the date for the hearing of the fresh suit would be communicated to them.
The Attorney-General, Abiodun Aikomo, who is the second defendant in the suit, appeared in person and equally for the first and third defendants, the governor and the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters.
