The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, has amended the controversial Traditional Rulers Law, Cap. 155, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2022 (as amended).
TheMail Newspaper reports that with the latest amendment, the Office of the President General of the Council is now rotational, with the President-General serving as a ceremonial head of the Council, representing the Council at national and international levels, according to the House of Assembly.
The amendment followed a message from the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno to the Speaker, at an emergency Plenary on Friday, requesting the House to amend the widely rejected TRC Law.
The previous law proposed the appointment of Oku Ibom Ibibio as the live and eternal President General of the Council.
The Bill generated widespread crises, with Traditional Rulers from Annang and Oro ethnic groups rejecting the Law on grounds that it did not allow for rotation of power for the office of the President-General.
The development promoted Gov. Umo Eno to constitute a 7-man committee on April 16, 2024, headed by the Paramount Ruler of Eket, Edidem E. C. D. Abia, to find lasting solutions to the issue.
On June 12, 2024, the Committee presented its report to the Governor at Government House, Uyo, strongly recommending rotation in the headship of the traditional stool for the sake of peace.
At Plenary on Friday, September 20, 2024, a Bill for the amendment of the Law was read the first, second and third times and subsequently passed by the State Assembly.
Among other ammendments, Section 47 (2) of the amended Law reads that “the President General shall be appointed by the Governor for a period of four (4) four years which may be renewed for another period of four years, at the Governor’s discretion.”
Section 47 (3) ready that “the Office of the President General shall rotational amongst the three major ethnic groups in the state.”
The amendment was supported by all Lawmakers at Plenary, with the Speaker, Udeme Otong, directing the Clerk of the House, NsikakAbasi Orok to communicate the decision of the House to the Governor.
With this new development, the Law is now known as ‘Traditional Rulers (3rd Amendment) Law’, taking effect from September 20, 2024, according to the House of Assembly.
Governor Eno is expected to swear in newly recognized Traditional Rulers on Monday, September 23, 2024, at the State Traditional Rulers Chambers, Uyo.
(C) TheMail Newspaper
