Ubima Chieftaincy Tussle: Court Refuses Stay Of Execution

A Port Harcourt High Court has rejected an application brought by the sacked paramount ruler of Ubima Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area in Rivers State, Eze Iheanyi Williams to stay execution of the court judgement which sacked him.
The court, however, granted Williams the leave to appeal the judgement which was one of the reliefs sought by his Counsel, Chris Onyekwere.
The trial Judge, Justice I. P. C. Igwe, in his ruling, yesterday, on a motion for stay of execution of the court judgement sacking him and the leave of the court to appeal the judgement, held that it cannot stay the execution of the judgement but that he has the right to appeal.
Justice Igwe refused the application for lacking in merit because the applicant did not show substantial evidence and proof beyond reasonable doubt why he should be granted leave to stay a judgement in a matter he was never a party in the first instance.
The trial judge had on December 9, 2020, sacked the Ubima monarch, and directed the royal families in the party to go home and select and install a paramount ruler, insisting that the sacked monarch must be excluded from being part of the selection process.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Counsel to Omuobunwo family who are third set of respondents in the matter, Mr Stephen Alue, welcomed the verdict, which according to him, gives his client, Eze Oscar Omehia, the opportunity to be the new Ubima paramount ruler having been selected by the people after the court judgement, last year
On his part, counsel to the sacked Ubima traditional ruler, Chris Onyekwere said the ruling has also given his client room to join in appealing the case, and also claimed that Eze Iheanyi Williams remains the paramount ruler of Ubima.

By: Akujobi Amadi