Aree stool: Contestant alleges fraud, seeks cancellation of govt-ordered selection process

Prince Ali Afolabi, a contestant to the stool of Aree of Iree from the Olubonku ruling house has alleged fraud in the selection process of a new monarch for Iree town.

In January, the Osun State Government released a White Paper ordering a fresh selection process for the town’s traditional stool.

“Specifically on Aree of Iree Chieftaincy, the substantive chiefs are enjoined to withdraw their suit before the Court to allow for the commencement of the selection process in line with due process and tradition,” the White Paper recommended.

The move has not gone down well with the town’s kingmakers and some stakeholders who insisted that it was an aberration of tradition.

However, Afolabi, through a letter dated February 26, 2024 and addressed to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Osun, Dosu Babatunde, by his lawyer, Folorunso Apantaku, disclosed that due to the closure of courts, pending cases were yet to be withdrawn in conformity with the dictates of the White Paper.

Afolabi declared that the fresh selection process conducted on February 22, 2024 by the Boripe North local government area of the state, which purportedly produced Prince Ibraheem Oyelakin as the Oba-elect violated the rule of law and was not in line with the chieftaincy laws of Osun State procedure and the tradition of the town.

While describing the selection procedure as a complete fraud, Afolabi noted that two kingmakers voted in the election that was supposed to have six kingmakers.

“Boripe North local government failed in its statutory duty to appoint warrant chiefs to replace the vacant kingmakers.

“Out of the four kingmakers alive, two voted while the two others voted in proxy, a situation that contravenes due process and rendered the exercise illegal and unacceptable,” he claimed.

Calling on the state government to cancel the fraudulent selection exercise, Afolabi disclosed that there was an injunction restraining the local government and the kingmakers of Iree town from taking any steps in the selection process of Aree of Iree pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, did not respond to a text message sent to him.