A high court sitting in Portharcourt has struck out a consolidated suit over a dispute on the occupant of the traditional paramount stools of Nze Obi of Egbema community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers state.
The suit which was instituted in two thousand and one by two aggrieved contenders to the throne was struck out on the basis of incompetence as they did not exhaust section sixteen subsection one of the traditional laws of Rivers state before heading to court.
Justice Sogbere Biambo in his ruling noted that the stool which is a government-recognized stool cannot be subjected to a premature process and cannot be heard except all settlements between parties and the Rivers state ministry of chieftaincy affairs failed.
Speaking to journalists after the Judgement counsel to the first defendant Amabebe Nsirim said the claimant did not take appropriate steps as noted by the court and as such his client Eze Evaristus Amuda remains the Nze Obi of Egbema.
On his part Charles Opara counsel to the second defendant said they would go back for a fresh action.
Also Evaristus Amuda while hailing the court Judgement called on all aggrieved parties to join him and move Egbema foreward.
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The Egbema traditional stool covers over forty communities and has been in contention since two thousand and nine.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
