Nigerian Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered by a panel led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour on December 14, 2018, ordered the relocation of the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Council of Ekiti State from Iye Ekiti to Eda Oniyo.
But the people of Iye Ekiti are not giving up the fight to keep the council headquarters on their soil as they have headed to an Ekiti State High Court to prevent the State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, from giving effect to the Supreme Court decision.
The newly filed suit is being spearheaded by the Oniye of Iye Ekiti, Oba Jonathan Adeleye-Oni who maintained that the Local Government Administration Law of Ekiti State, No.2 of 1999 which prescribed his town as the local government has not been reviewed, repealed or invalidated.
The 19-year case which was filed by the Eleda of Eda Oniyo, Oba Julius Awolola, to challenge the relocation of council headquarters to Iye after it was initially sited in his domain started at the State High Court, went through the Court of Appeal before it was finally decided at the Supreme Court.
The apex court held that the establishment of the headquarters of the Local Government in Eda Oniyo was backed by statute and could not be relocated elsewhere without the promulgation of a new law.
The Originating Summons has the Oniye of Iye as the 1st Claimant while the President of Iye Development Association, Mr. Elijah Olufemi Kupolati is the 2nd Claimant.
The Defendants are the Governor of Ekiti State (1st) Attorney General of Ekiti State (2nd) and the Eleda of Eda Oniyo, Oba Julius Awolola (3rd).
The suit was filed a few weeks after a seven-member panel raised by the state government on the Supreme Court verdict paid a fact-finding visit to the two communities as part of its assignment.
The panel which is chaired by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, is expected to turn in its report to Governor Kayode Fayemi for implementation any moment from now.
The claimants in the suit filed by their counsel, Mr. Taiwo Kupolati, are seeking a court declaration that by virtue of the Local Government Administration Law of Ekiti State No. 2 of 1999, being a law which has not been reviewed, repealed, nullified or invalidated by any order of court, Iye Ekiti remains the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Council.
They also prayed the court for an order directing the 1st and 2nd defendants to continue to honour and implement the provisions of Local Government Administration Law of Ekiti State No. 2 of 1999, being a law which has validly established and statutorily backed up Iye Ekiyi as the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Council.
The claimants further sought an order of mandatory injunction compelling the 1st and 2nd defendants, their servants, agents and committees to continue to recognize and hold Iye Ekiti as the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Council as per the provisions of Local Government Administration Law No.2 of 1999.
The final relief sought by the claimants is an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants, their servants, agents and committees from moving the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government from Iye Ekiti to Eda Oniyo.
They averred that moving the council headquarters from their community constitutes, “an outright breach of the provisions of Local Government Administration Law No.2 of 1999.”
Filed in support of the Originating Summons are a 20-paragraph affidavit and a written address stating the background facts, issues for determination and brief of argument.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.