The Ekiti State Government stated on Thursday that the state’s current legal system does not accept Shariah courts or the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel.
Mr Dayo Apata, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, said this in a statement on Thursday in response to news reports regarding the first public meeting of the Ekiti State Shariah Panel.
According to reports, the Shariah panel settled two marital issues last week.
The Sharia panel was cited as stating it wanted to provide arbitration based on Islamic doctrine.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday, Apata stated that the state’s laws do not recognize Sharia courts, emphasizing that the present judicial framework is competent to resolve all types of conflicts.
The Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led government branded the incident as an attempt by the opposition to score political points against him ahead of next year’s election.
The AG warned against any activity that may jeopardize the state government’s objective of peaceful coexistence among people.
The AG stated, “There is an established legal framework in Ekiti State (Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal, and High Court) that has handled matters pertaining to Islamic, Christian, and traditional weddings and inheritance without rancour or disturbance.
“The government will not compromise on any action that may hinder the prevailing peace and fester hostility in the state” .
The AG stated that the Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel did not fall within the state’s judicial framework, stating that “arbitration and/or mediation issues are a quasi-judicial matter, which is regulated by law” in the state.
