A High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital has voided the proclamation made by the state government to relocate the headquarters of Ilejemeje local government area from Iye-Ekiti to Eda-Oniyo.
It would be recalled that the state government through the deputy governor, Bisi Egbeyemi had on Monday made a proclamation announcing the relocation of the headquarters to Eda-Oniyo citing the December 14 2018 judgement of the supreme court.
Justice Adesodun described the decision of the government as an act of, ” executive rascality and self help ” adding that the status quo should be maintained pending the final determination of the case.
Counsel to the claimant, Taiwo Kupolati while making his final submission argued that the decision of the government contravened the local government administration law of 1999 which recognized Iye-Ekiti as the headquarters of Ilejemeje local government area.
He called on the court to enforce the right of the claimant and save the state from what he described as “absolute recklessness.”
Counsel to the first(state government) and second(Attorney General) respondents, Yetunde Kolawole revealed that the state government made the proclamation based on the verdict of the supreme court.
On his part, counsel to the third respondent( Eda-Oniyo Ekiti), Deji Adetifa argued that the court could not go against the judgement of the supreme court, disclosing that the law recognized hierarchy of court.
He noted that the claimants should have approached the supreme court if they had any grievance on the ruling not the high court, urging the court to dismiss the suit with huge cost against the claimants.
” Assuming without conceding that the claimant has genuine grievances against the supreme Court ruling, the appropriate thing is to go back to the apex court for review not this court. Coming here is a wrong place and we want the court to decline the invitation to embark on judicial rascality,” Adetifa said.
Justice Adesodun, however, fixed November 19, 2019 for judgement on the case.
