Ekiti State Government has distanced itself from the reported sitting of the Independent Shari’ah Arbitration Panel in the state.
Nigerian Tribune had reported the inaugural sitting of the panel in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital where it adjudicated over marriage disputes.
The panel, presided over by three Kadhis Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde adjudicated on two marriage-related disputes, saying the move is aimed at providing arbitration based on Islamic jurisprudence.
However, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, said that the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel is not in the judicial structure of the State.
He noted; “Arbitration and/or Mediation issue is a Quasi-Judicial matters which are regulated by Law” in the state.
Apata said there is existing legal structure in Ekiti State (i.e. Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal and High Court) that has been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and Traditional Marriages and inheritance without any rancour or agitation.
According to him, “The Sharia Courts in the North are equivalent to the Customary Courts in the Southern part of Nigeria wherein the Appeals therefrom also goes to the Sharia Court of Appeal.
“The state similarly has Customary Courts that hear customary cases as well as the Customary Court of Appeal that hears appeals from the Customary Courts.”
Apata emphasised that customary courts and the customary court of Appeal can effectively take care of any customary issues arising from Yoruba Traditional Marriages, Islamic Marriages, and Christian Marriages, “especially the ones that were not backed-up by the Statutory Marriages which can only be dissolved by the States High Courts throughout Nigeria.”
While noting that the issue is a religious matter that must be handled with utmost care, Apata however cautioned against activities that may negatively affect the S
Nigerian Tribune had reported the inaugural sitting of the panel in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital where it adjudicated over marriage disputes.
The panel, presided over by three Kadhis, Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde, adjudicated on two marriage-related disputes, saying the move is aimed at providing arbitration based on Islamic jurisprudence.
However, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, said that the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel is not in the judicial structure of the State.
He noted; “Arbitration and/or Mediation issue is a Quasi-Judicial matters which are regulated by Law” in the state.
Apata said there is an existing legal structure in Ekiti State (i.e., Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal, and High Court) that has been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian, and Traditional Marriages and inheritance without any rancor or agitation.
According to him, “The Sharia Courts in the North are equivalent to the Customary Courts in the Southern part of Nigeria wherein the Appeals therefrom also goes to the Sharia Court of Appeal.
“The state similarly has Customary Courts that hear customary cases as well as the Customary Court of Appeal that hears appeals from the Customary Courts.”
Apata emphasised that customary courts and the customary court of Appeal can effectively take care of any customary issues arising from Yoruba Traditional Marriages, Islamic Marriages, and Christian Marriages, “especially the ones that were not backed-up by the Statutory Marriages which can only be dissolved by the States High Courts throughout Nigeria.”
While noting that the issue is a religious matter that must be handled with utmost care, Apata however cautioned against activities that may negatively affect the State government’s policy of peaceful coexistence among residents of the State.
He stressed that the government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji would not compromise on any action that may hinder the prevailing peace and fester hostility in the State.
The statement reads, “The Government is not unmindful of the fact the race for 2026 Governorship election is gathering momentum in Ekiti State and opposition members that cannot fault the performance of the State Government have resorted to all sorts of unethical practices.
“We advised religious leaders to be weary of being used as tools by politicians and fifth columnists because Government will not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law to protect the Constitution of the Federation and maintain peaceful co-existence in the state.”
