By SULEIMAN SHEHU

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan on Tuesday affirmed the selection and installation of Oba Ghandi Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

Recall that Justice K. A. Adedokun of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso had, on Oct. 25, 2023, nullified the selection and installation of Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

The lower court asserted that the procedure of Olaoye’s nomination was “irregular, null and void”.

It added that the process did not comply with the provisions of the Soun Chieftaincy Declaration of 1958.

Delivering judgment on the appeal filed by Olaoye, Justice Yargata Nimpar, who led a three-member panel of justices, resolved the appeal in favour of Olaoye.

Nimpar said that the lower court had no jurisdiction to entertain the case.

According to the judge, the respondents failed to comply with the administrative procedure of writing the government about their dissatisfaction with the selection before approaching the court.

Nimpar, therefore, set aside the lower court’s judgment and affirmed the selection and installation of Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

Speaking with newsmen after the judgment, the respondents’ lead counsel, Mr Abiodun Ogunjumi, said his client was dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Ogunjumi said he was ready to file notice and grounds of the appeal to attack the judgment of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the respondents are Prince Muhammed Olaore and six others.

Mr Kolawole Fatoye stood in for Olaoye’s counsel, Mr Yusuf Ali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). (NAN)