The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, is facing intense backlash from members of the Okpella community in Edo State for allegedly politicizing the selection process to the throne of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella.

This is even as contempt and criminal proceedings were served on Friday on the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Monday Osaigbovo, and the Edo State Government for acting on a matter before a court of competent jurisdiction.

A contender for the throne, Mike Sado, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja, accusing Obaseki and his associates of politicizing the selection process and disregarding the community’s customs and traditions.

Sado claimed that the government’s interference has led to confusion and conflict within the community. He further accused the governor of setting a bad precedent that could undermine the customs and traditions of the community, which could attract the wrath of the gods.

Sado revealed that the kingship was initially narrowed down to three kindreds, with each asked to nominate a candidate. His kindred was the only one to succeed within the given timeframe, while the others took two weeks.

He said: “The agreement was that once you got nominated by your kindred, it would be followed by an election since there was no consensus.” However, things took a dramatic turn when two kingmakers, allegedly working for one of the candidates, bypassed tradition and sent the three names directly to the governor.

“The Okpella Council of Village Heads intervened, directing the Otaru of Okpella to proceed with traditional arrangements. I was chosen, but the documents sent to the Edo State Government were met with political maneuvering.

“The local government came in, gave us a date, and asked the Council of Village Heads to zero in on one person. When they realized the kingship wasn’t in their favor, they scattered the whole process.

“The kingship was narrowed to three kindreds, and each kindred was asked to nominate their candidate. We were given a day to do that, and my kindred was the only one that succeeded in coming up with a candidate within two to three hours. It took the remaining two kindreds two weeks to nominate their candidates.

“The agreement was that once nominated by your kindred, your name would be sent to the governor. There was supposed to be an election after the nomination, where one candidate would be selected since there was no consensus on whom to pick among the three candidates. But politics was brought into it.

“The kingmakers wrote to the governor, asking him to allow them to select according to tradition. That is where we are. It has been back and forth with different letters.

“The Okpella Council of Village Heads had a meeting and directed the Otaru of Okpella to go ahead with the normal traditional arrangements of nomination and send the successful candidate to the government. I was chosen by the council. Documents were sent to the Edo State Government, but due to multiple interests, the state government started playing politics with the selection.

“The same people who couldn’t hold a meeting between the governor and the community for the past three years scheduled one within two days, and the governor agreed to call all the candidates for proper settlement. But we didn’t hear from the governor again.

“It was alleged that the government asked Lukman to win his polling unit and promised that if he did, he would be made king. We thought it was a joke. Why would the governor come up with such an arrangement?

“Our people are asking that the right thing be done. The state government knows that he is not the people’s choice. He used cultists to invade the community, which led to the loss of lives.

“The Otaru was supposed to install the new king in accordance with our traditions. The rules on how to appoint a king are very clear, as stipulated in Section 19(1) of Edict No. 16 of 1979.

“If the government claimed it didn’t understand the process of installing a new king, all it needed to do was provide us with security and call the kingmakers to elect a new king. But because of the politics in the selection process, the government is unwilling to do the right thing.

“All we want is for the Edo State Government to do the right thing in line with laid-down traditions and customs,” Sado said, adding that he had no issues with Akemokhue Lukman, who is currently in police custody over alleged sponsorship of recent killings in the community.

It will be recalled that Governor Obaseki, through his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, on September 26, 2024, appointed Lukman Akemokhue as the new Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, even though he was aware of the ongoing court case instituted by one of the contenders, Mike Sado.

The community has vehemently rejected this decision, citing Obaseki’s blatant disregard for traditional customs and his clear favoritism toward his political associates, with many taking to the streets to protest the imposition.

Meanwhile, the Okpella Council of Village Heads is currently up in arms over Governor Obaseki’s appointment of Akemokhue as their traditional head, rejecting the move due to the disregard for their customs and laws. The council made its stance clear in a strongly worded letter to the governor, emphasizing that “the selection process is the responsibility of the kingmakers, not the state government.”

The council’s main grievance is that Obaseki’s decision undermines their autonomy and cultural heritage. They have likened the governor’s choice of candidate to political cronyism, stressing that Akemokhue’s appointment violates Section 19(1) of Edict No. 16 of 1979, which outlines the procedure for selecting a traditional ruler.

In a related development, the Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Akemokhue risk imprisonment following a contempt of court charge filed against them.

In the originating summons filed before an Edo State High Court in Agenebode, the applicant is praying for an order for Akemokhue and Osaigbovo to appear before the court and show cause why they should not be sent to prison for contempt.

The applicant claimed that by “writing a letter” and “receiving a letter,” the contemnors breached Section 110(c) and (d) of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022, an act punishable by three months imprisonment.

They were said to have violated the law by causing “an obstruction or disturbance in the course of judicial proceedings, and while judicial proceedings are pending, making use of writing a letter capable of prejudicing the applicant in the proceedings or calculated to lower the authority of the court before which the proceedings are being taken.”

Among the grounds on which the application was brought is that the suit marked B/464/2019 is currently pending before the court, with all parties to this application either directly involved or through privies.

The applicants further argued that the main object of the claim in the suit is determining who can be duly selected as the next Okuokpellagbe of Okpella.

“The parties have joined issues in the proceedings in suit No. B/464/2019, which is currently being heard by this Honourable Court.

“The 1st Contemnor, who is a party directly involved in Suit No. B/464/2019 as the 3rd Defendant, received a letter with Ref No: CH266/T3/93 dated September 20, 2024, from the 2nd Contemnor appointing him as the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State during the pendency of the aforementioned suit.

“The actions of the contemnors in writing and receiving the letter over an issue pending before this Honourable Court are contrary to Section 110(c) and (d) of the Criminal Law of Edo State, 2022.”

Also, Sado, through his lawyer, Chief H. O. Ogbodu, SAN, has asked the court to set aside the letter with reference No. CH266/T3/93, dated September 20, 2024, signed by Honourable Monday E. O. Osaigbovo (IP), Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government (Community and Chieftaincy Affairs), agent and privy of the 5th Respondent, approving the appointment of the 3rd Defendant/Respondent, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, which is the subject matter of a case pending before this Honourable Court.