Alaafin Stool: Court strikes out Oyo kingmakers’ case against Makinde, Others

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Oyo town on Thursday struck out a suit filed by the High Chief Yusuf Ayoola, the Basorun of Oyo and four other kingmakers against Governor Seyi Makinde and two others on the vacant Alaafin stool.

It was gathered that the Chiefs were absent as the court delivered its judgment.

The claimants had on Monday, requested the maintenance of the status quo on the two motions filed pending before the court.

The lead counsel to the claimants, Mr Sobaloju, who was represented in the court, had earlier sought the withdrawal of suit HOY/38/2023, replacing it with a fresh suit.

He argued that a fresh suit was filed in place of the old ones.

The defence counsel however argued that they were yet to file a counter affidavit on the ex parte motion and the court adjourned the case to Thursday as a result of that.

However, the counsel to the claimants instead of progressing with the case as earlier sought, filed a withdrawal of the previous case and representation of the new file.

It was on this premise that the presiding judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola, struck out the case and informed the council that the date for the hearing of the fresh suit would be communicated to them.

Even though the council wanted the case to be heard, Justice Akintola argued that the case file had to be looked into before fixing the date.

The defendants were represented in court by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo.