Francis Sardauna
The Katsina State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has received and treated 39 petitions from aggrieved candidates who were not satisfied with the conduct of April 11 council elections in the state.
The state Chief Judge, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, disclosed this Tuesday, while inaugurating a three-member local government Elections Appeal Tribunal.
He said the tribunal received 29 chairmanship and 10 councillorship petitions from aggrieved candidates and had heard and determined some of the petitions.
He, however, said the appeal tribunal was established in accordance with the state Electoral Law number 4 of 2002 to hear and determine appeals that might arise from the decisions of the tribunal.
The chief judge urged members of the appeal tribunal to resist all forms of temptations and undue influence from politicians, warning that sanctions await whoever is involved in any misconduct.
While lamenting that the nation’s justice delivery system is bedevilled with delays and prolonged adjournments, Abubakar warned members of the tribunal against exceeding the mandatory 30 days of proceedings.
According to him, “By provisions of the Law, the decision of the appeal tribunal shall be final on all petitions arising from the local government council elections.”
