Edo: Court of Appeal suspends execution of Okpella Kingship ruling

The Court of Appeal, Benin Division, has granted an interim order staying the execution of the judgment of the Edo State High Court which annulled the appointment of His Royal Majesty, Engineer Michael Sado, as Okuokpellagbe of Okpella and ordered the reinstatement of Lukeman Akemokue to the throne.

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin City, Edo State, granted the interim order at the instance of His Royal Majesty, Engineer Michael Sado, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, challenging the lower court’s ruling on grounds bordering on miscarriage of justice.

The controversy followed a March 2026 ruling delivered by Justice OA Otamere of the Edo State High Court in case no. HAG/12/2025, in which the court annulled Sado’s appointment as Okuokpellagbe.

The court of first instance had ruled that the process by which Akemokue was removed from the throne and Sado subsequently emerged as supreme ruler did not respect the principle of due process.

Upon the resumption of the hearing, the Attorney General, Prof. Roland Otaru, SAN, informed the court of appeal of an appeal which, according to him, was primarily aimed at obtaining an order to suspend the execution of the judgment of the court of first instance pending the decision of the appeal.

Otaru further told the court that the first respondent had not filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to the application.

The first respondent’s lawyer, Esq. DA Alegbe, subsequently gave an undertaking before the court, following which the appellate court issued the interim order to stay the execution of the lower court judgment.

The Court therefore adjourned the case to a date to be communicated to the parties.