Lawyer Kicks as Delta Govt Set to Present Staff of Office to Udu Monarch Despite Substantive Lawsuit

…as Court adjourns suit to restrain Delta govt till Dec 18

A Warri based lawyer, Dr. Martins Ahweyevu Mokoro Esq, has frown at moves by the Delta State Government to present Staff of Office to the newly appointed Ovie of Udu Kingdom, Engr. Michael Orugbo despite a substantive lawsuit before Otor-Udu High Court challenging the process.

Addressing a press conference on behalf of his client, Chief Wisdom Ghaghara JP, on Monday, the counsel disclosed that despite the pending case with suit number; No.OUHC/133/2025 challenging the coronation and the secession to the throne, the Delta State Government has fixed November 7, 2025 to present staff of office to Engr. Michael Orugbo as the new King.

The lawyer said that paragraph 5 of the law regulating secession to the title of Ovie of Udu prescribes 60 days time line at the end of which the candidate of the Okporua Ruling House is to be elected as against what the 1st-6th defendants did between 7-5-25 and 6-6-25, a period of 30 days.

In an originating summon, the suit is praying the court to give judicial interpretation whether the Engr. Alex Neyin, Chairman, Interim Management Committee, Okporua Ruling House of Udu Kingdom, Hon. David.K. Chobore, Secretary Interim Management Committee,Okporua Ruling House, Sir/Chief Sam.E.Odibo JP, the Otota (Spokesman)/Regent of Udu Kingdom, Chief Solomon Kponah JP, Secretary Udu Council of Chiefs and Chief Tagbovwere Koro,the Odede Ade of Udu Kingdom have complied with the Chieftaincy law regulating secession to the title of Ovie of Udu.

The suit is also praying the court to setting aside the decision of the Delta State Executive Council and restraining the Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori from presenting Staff of Office to Engr. Michael Orugbo so as to respect and preserve the authority of the Court In a democracy in the motion on Notice.

Dr. Mukoro who is of the M.Ahweyevu Mukoro&Co Legal Practitioners in Enerhen road, said that only Engr. Michael Orugbo filed an appearance and responded to the suit. The legal practitioner also said Engr. Orugbo filed a “Notice of Preliminary Objection” challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

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According to Dr. Mukoro, “On 9-10-25 the Delta State Executive Council presided over by the Deputy Governor, (in complete disregard of the pending suit and reliefs sought against the defendants) ratified the election of the 6th defendant being disputed in the pending suit. The defendants then fixed 7-11-25 as a date to coronate the 6th defendant and for the 8th defendant to hand over a staff of office to him in complete disregard for judicial function of the High Court as the judicial arm of government to whom the parties who include the Governor of Delta State have submitted their disputes in Suit No.OUHC/133/2025.

Dr. Mukoro explained, “The claimant thereupon filed a motion on Notice served on all the parties to set aside the decision of the Delta State Executive Council and to restrain the Governor of Delta State from presenting a staff of office to the 6th defendant so as to respect and preserve the authority of the court in a democracy.

“When it became clear that the 8th defendant was bent on presenting Staff of Office to 6th in undemocratic disregard for the pending case, the claimants wrote a letter, a please to the 7th defendant who is Attorney General of Delta State to bring his wealth of legal knowledge in counsel and advice to the 8th defendant to dissuade him from going ahead with the ceremony scheduled for 7-11-2025, the letter dated 22-10-2025 was delivered to the 7th defendant on 23-10-25.”

Dr. Mukoro said, “This press conference is called to present the facts of the pendency of the suit being disregarded by those who swore to uphold the powers of the court but are acquiescing is disregarding the power of the Court to adjudicate on dispute presented to it.”

Dr. Mukoro noted that the parties were last in court on the 16-10-2025, stressing that the pending processes were adjourned to 18-12-2025 for hearing where at counsel to the parties will adopt their respective written addresses.

“We restated that the defendants are not acting out of ignorance and do not lack competent legal advice;they have in abundance in the Ministry of Justice. The act presentation of office in the circumstance is an affront on the judiciary designed to pile up I der pressure on the court having prejudged the matter by the defendants overreaction both the claimants and the Court by the ill advised act of going ahead to present a staff of office to the 6th defendant on 7-11-2025 by the 8th defendant. There is still time to do the right thing by postponing the ceremony indefinitely until the High Court; the third arm of government has exercised it constitutional power.”

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Dr. Mukoro argued thus,”It remains law that”In the area where rule of law operates, the rule of self help by force is abandoned, on a dispute has arisen between a person and the government or authority and the dispute has been brought before the Court, it is the duty of the government to allow the law to take its course or allow legal and judicial process to run its full course.”