Laleye Dipo in Minna
Two Election Petition Tribunals have commenced sitting in Minna, the Niger State capital, at the chambers of the Chief Judge of the state.
The tribunals are to listen and determine the veracity of the petitions that arose from the governorship and National Assembly, as well as the state House of Assembly elections.
Members of the first tribunal are Justice Angela Otaluka, Khadi Badamasi Aliyu Mohammed and Justice Sylvester D Popnen, while Justice Godspower C Aguma, Justice M I Sule and Khadi M. T. Rashid constitute the second panel.
Justice Angela Otaluka, who spoke on behalf of her colleagues at the inaugural sitting, assured the petitioners that: “Every participant and stakeholder in the election matters will be given a level playing field to handle their cases and exhibit their prowess within the limited time of 180 days as prescribed by law.
“We urge you to keep to the rules and maintain the highest integrity and ethical attitude and behaviour. The procedure to be adopted in the preparatory period for filing election petition and responding to it is strict and harsh and gives no room for mistakes.
“Therefore, all major players must master the rules and regulations like pathfinder to the mountain top before you take a step as no laxity would be allowed.”
Otaluka also told the counsel and petitioners not to be deceived by anybody, adding that the tribunals have come to do nothing but justice without fear or favour, insisting also that the tribunals cannot be compromised.
“On no account should anybody including staff, relatives, friends be deceived or be under the pretext that these tribunals would be open to gratification or compromise,” Otaluka said.
While soliciting the cooperation of all on the bench in order to help in building and strengthening of the framework of democracy of Nigeria, Otaluka stated that the panels will “hold these vibrant bar at a very high esteem and expect you to prosecute your cases with deep respect and deference to the Bench”.
In his remarks, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Nasara Danmallam, urged the panels to be fair and just in the discharge of their assignments.
“For us, we look forward to seeing that justice is done according to the law,” Danmallam said.
Speaking on behalf of the bench, Mr Sani Isah Katun (SAN) pleaded with the panelists to avoid technicalities in arriving at their decisions because the days of technicalities are gone.
Katun promised that they (counsel) “will not get to you directly or indirectly to change your reasoning. You want to go to paradise so nobody should change your minds against doing the right thing”.
