Rivers Monarchs Okay Review Of 2014 Chieftaincy Law

Traditional rulers in Riv
ers State have thrown their weight behind the review of the state Chieftaincy and Traditional Rulers Law 2014, even as they disagreed over the classification of stools and the payment of allowances and stipends to some recognised chiefs in the state.
They made their views known a public hearing organised by the ad hoc Committee of the state Assembly on the bill to repeal the Rivers State Chieftaincy and Traditional Rulers Law, 2014.
Most of the traditional rulers welcomed the amendment, saying, it would restore the sanctity of the traditional institution in the state.
However, the traditional rulers were against Section 17 of the bill, saying, it arrogates powers to the governor to unilaterally remove a traditional ruler without fair hearing.
There was also a bone of contention over the sharing formula of the five per cent accruing to first class traditional rulers from local government’s monthly allocation with non-beneficiaries, insisting that the bill should create first class stool for each of the local governments in the state.
But in their submissions, The Amayanabo of Kalabari Kingdom, HRH, Prof Theophillus J.T. Princewill and his Bonny counterpart, King Edward Asimini Dappa-Pepple, represented by Sir Alabo Pepple, said that the people of Kalabari are one even though they are in different local governments for administrative purposes.
According to Prof Theophillus, “our case in Kalabari kingdom may be peculiar in the sense that we are just one ethnic nationality, we do not speak different languages. Our kingdom has just one king and every community has a head. No recognised king can be above the King of Kalabari if we are splited”.
However, the Nyewe-Eli of Omordu/Apani/Omerelu, Hon Justice Assor Clifford Woru, argued that the 5% should be shared in ratios since the traditional rulers adjudicate across the local governments where their stools transcend.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the session, Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Hon. Jones Ogbonda, promised to reflect all the views presented by participants in the committee report.
He also stated that the large turnout at the public hearing was an indication that traditional rulers were dissatisfied with the 2014 law.