By YUSUF ABUBABAKR

The Ajuameachor Ruling House has issued a statement reiterating the collective decision taken at an enlarged meeting of the entire family in Idah that screened, interviewed and nominated Prince Samuel Opaluwa out of the three contestants as the new Attah Igala-designate saying their choice remains valid.

The family said it also screened other contestants including Prince Mathew Alaji Opaluwa, Prince Onuche Opaluwa amongst others before arriving at an acceptable decision by all the members of the Ajuameachor Ruling House.

The family position headed by DCP Jacob Yahaya Etuh (rtd) became necessary at the backdrop of claims and counter claims by Prince Mathew Alaji Opaluwa, Prince Ocholi Ogwuche Opaluwa who earlier conceded to the family decision but later claimed that they were nominated by four grandchildren and not by the entire by the ruling house.

In a statement it issued on its nomination, the family stated that “the video script of the decision of the Ajuameachor Ruling House that nominated Prince Samuel Opaluwa is available for public consumption.”

It further said that after accepting the decision of the ruling house, the retraction on the part of Prince Mathew Alaji Opaluwa before the review panel was an afterthought, saying the part in the report of the leaked review panel regarding the health and social orientations of Prince Samuel Opaluwa was contrived and therefore null and void, as the panel itself neither discussed or investigated anything in that regard.

The statement noted that “it would have been appropriate if it took its time to look into the characters and integrity of the two other contestants as provided by the gazette, especially regarding their records of service.”

The statement further noted that the hasty and belated re-entrance of Prince Matthew Alaji through the review panel set up by ITC will further abuse and balkanize the process of ascension of the new Attah Igala.

“If ‘nomination’ is the core of the prerequisites and as the eldest son as well as integrity test, the decision is already reached by the entire Ajuameachor Ruling House in favour of Prince Samuel Opaluwa.

“Since the gazzette placed higher premium on ‘nomination’, the onus lies on the authority to ratify the eldest and duly nominated Prince Samuel Opaluwa,” they said in the statement.

It further conceded that there is no doubt that DCP Jacob Yahaya Etuh (rtd), in order of seniority is ahead of Peter Achimugu who headed the family decision that nominated Prince Samuel and Prince Ocholi Ogwuche Opaluwa respectively.

The family noted that in traditional Igala society, a candidate must be blessed by male children, stating that Prince Samuel Opaluwa Oguche is imbued with all the necessary qualifications.

The statement asked the state government to do justice and uphold fairness, by validating the choice of the Ajuameachor Ruling House, Prince Samuel Opaluwa Oguche, being the validly nominated candidate and obviously the most qualified.