Shariah Panel ‘Divisive’, Why We Won’t Recognize It-Ekiti Govt

 Ekiti State Government on Thursday described the Independent Shari’ah Arbitration Panel as divisive submitting that the existing legal structure in the state does not recognize such a body.

Recall that the Independent Shari’ah Arbitration Panel that was presided over by three Kadhis; Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola, and Dr. Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde held its first sitting in Ado-Ekiti earlier this week.

President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs , Ekiti State, Alhaji Hammed Bakare, had clarified and emphasized that the Shari’ah adjudication process is voluntary and adheres strictly to Islamic principles.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dayo Apata, in a statement he issued in Ado Ekiti on Thursday noted that there is an existing legal structure in the state that has been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and traditional marriages and inheritance without any rancour.

‘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 rancour or agitation’ he said.

The Justice Commissioner cautioned against activities that could negatively affect the state government’s policy of peaceful coexistence among residents, submitting that ‘Government will not compromise on any action that may hinder the prevailing peace and fester hostility in the state’.

The Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel, he noted, is not in the judicial structure of the state, adding that ‘arbitration and/or mediation issue is a quasi-judicial matter which is regulated by law’ in the state.

‘The Sharia Courts in the North are equivalent to the Customary Courts in the Southern part of Nigeria. Wherein appeals from Sharia Courts in the North go to Sharia Court of Appeal, the state similarly has Customary Court of Appeal that hears appeals from the Customary Courts.

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’ he said.

The statement also alleged that members of opposition parties in the state who cannot fault the performance of the Oyebamiji administration have resorted to unethical practices.

The state government urged religious leaders to ‘be wary of being used as tools by politicians and fifth columnists because the 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’-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you