Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has suspended two clan heads in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state over alleged “insubordination.”

The suspension of the royal fathers – Ekpenyong Asuquo, the clan head of Atimbo, and Archibong Le’Nelson, the clan head of Akansoko – takes immediate effect, the chief press secretary to the governor, Nsa Gill, said in a statement on Monday.

Mr Gill, in the statement, said the governor’s directive is aimed at maintaining peace and orderliness in the leadership of the Akpabuyo Traditional Rulers Council.

“They are not expected to parade themselves anywhere and in any form as clan heads until further notice.

“The directive takes immediate effect. In their stead, acting clan heads will be announced by the governor,” Mr Gill said.

PREMIUM TIMES could not reach the two traditional rulers for comments.

Daily Post reported that the suspension of the royal fathers was triggered by its publication, where one of the royal fathers had queried Governor Otu’s appointment of a paramount ruler in the area.

According to the newspaper, Mr Le’Nelson, the clan head of Akansoko, had said that the appointment of Francis Edem, the clan head of the Esuk Mba community, as acting paramount ruler in the area, cannot stand.

Mr Le’Nelson told the newspaper that Governor Otu did not do proper consultations before appointing Mr Edem as the paramount ruler and accused two aides of the governor of misleading him.

He argued that since the paramount ruler headship was supposed to be rotational, it was the turn of his clan to head the position adding that three paramount rulers have emerged from the same axis where the new appointee hails from, the basis he said cannot stand.

But in a statement released on Monday, Mr Gill described their rejection of the new paramount ruler as an “unacceptable act of insubordination.”

Meanwhile, a civil society activist, Ukemeobong Akpan, has condemned the suspension of the traditional rulers.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night, the activist advised the governor not to interfere in traditional stool matters except the royal fathers constitute security threats to their communities.

Previous removal, suspension of traditional rulers

This is not the first time a governor of the state has removed or suspended a traditional ruler from office.

The immediate-past Governor Ben Ayade in May 2022 sacked the paramount ruler of Calabar South Local Government Area, Itam Itam, and ordered the immediate withdrawal of the certificate of recognition for allegedly dabbling into partisan politics, according to New Telegraph.

“Following the report of the panel set up by the Cross River Traditional Ruler Council and the approval of His Excellency, you have been removed as the village head, clan head of Ukem and Paramount Ruler of Efuts with immediate effect to enable you to go ahead and do your partisan politics.

According to the newspaper, the paramount ruler, Mr Itam, a professor and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had along with other party members met and chosen one of the PDP governorship aspirants as a consensus aspirant for the party for 2023 election.

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The royal father was, however, restored by Governor Otu two months ago, Cross River Watch reported.

The newspaper had also reported how former Governor Ayade suspended the Clan Head of Abi and Paramount Ruler of Etung Local Government Area, Ntufam Oru over what he described as “unwholesome activities.”