From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Southern Kaduna Journalists’ Forum has called on Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani to implement the court judgment that annulled the dethronement of Piriga monarch, Chief Jonathan Paraguwa Zamuna by ex-Governor Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai in the last days of his departure.
The forum in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Ango Bally, urged Governor Sani “to demonstrate the pro-democracy and rule of law that he stands for, as evidenced in his participation for the realization of the June 12 election struggle, for his government to respect and implement the judgment which declared the dethronement null and void and ordered for the reinstatement of Chief Zamuna with all privileges restored.
Honorable Justice Bashir Attahiru Alkali’s judgment of the National Industrial Court sitting in Kaduna had on June 10, 2024, declared the dethronement of Chief Zamuna on 22nd May 2023, null and void for lack of fair hearing and ordered for his reinstatement with all salaries arrears paid and all privileges restored within 30 days.
The court also ordered the Kaduna state government to pay Chief Zamuna 10 million Naira in damages for the violation of his fundamental human rights. A copy of the judgment has already been released.
This is even as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for constitutional reform to protect traditional institutions in Nigeria, by recognizing and defining their responsibilities, lamenting that “recent developments in the country have seen a growing tendency of state governments exerting influence in distorting the modalities of enthroning traditional stools.”
