Asagba Prof Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, has said he holds no grudge for anyone not happy with his peaceful and transparent emergence and coronation as the 14th Asagba of Asaba, adding that those who lost to him in the contest have the right to feel differently
The Asagba, during a parley with Journalists in his Palace on New Year day, said when an exercise had been completed and overwhelmingly and unanimously concluded, it remained the prerogative of anyone not satisfied with the outcome to exercise the next right of option.
He noted that while a host of the contenders for the throne sent in their congratulatory messages after his selection and coronation, a few others considered it necessary to go to Court, which he said was understandable and acceptable to him.
Asagba Prof Azinge revealed that he and his legal team were prepared to engage the Plaintiffs in Court and pursue the case to the highest level, describing the issues raised by them as spurious and discordant to the popular decision of Asaba people who unanimously chose him to succeed late Asagba Prof Chike Edozien on 18th August, 2024.
On the sharing of the 5% statutory allocation for traditional rulers from the Local Government Council, which had been an issue between the late Asagba and the tradition ruler of Oko kingdom, and had now been extended to him, Asagba Prof Azinge said all attempts to agree on the sharing formula had failed.
The highly revered monarch pointed out that while a proposal of 80% for Asaba and 20% for Oko had been made, Oko insisted that it should be 70% to 30%, disclosing that a latest proposal of 75% to 25%, made at the end of a meeting with representatives of Oko on 31st December, 2024, was on the table and expressed optimism that the lingering issue would soon be resolved.
On the presentation of Staff of Office to him by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, instead of his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, which was criticized by some individuals, the Asagba said as a First Class traditional ruler and with Asaba as the state capital, there was nothing untoward for the Governor to make the presentation, insisting that on certain rare occasions there should be an exception to the rule.
He said since ascending the throne on 5th October, 2024, he had been able to hit the ground running, with the interest of the community and the well-being of the people as primary considerations, stressing that the community would want to be in a position to galvanize the people to support the present administration, and ensure that the traditional institutions were better placed to perform their constitutional roles.
Senator Ned Nwoko’s Defection and the Tsunami That Followed in Delta...