Election Tribunal Begins Sitting in Cross River, Sokoto, Abia, Others

Yobe: Grants PDP’s candidate permission to inspect INEC materials

The Election Petitions Tribunal in Cross River State, Sokoto and Abia State yesterday commenced sitting in the respective state capitals.

In Cross River State, the tribunal announced that it had received 26 petitions from aggrieved politicians and political parties that contested the March 28, National Assembly and April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The secretary of the tribunal, Mr. John Tsok, made the announcement in Calabar yesterday, while speaking with journalists, confirming that, “As we speak, the tribunal has received four petitions for senatorial election, nine for House of Representatives, two governorship and eleven for the state House of Assembly.

In Sokoto State, the Chairman of the three-member tribunal, Justice Anselem Nwaigwe, yesterday cautioned petitioners against any attempt to influence the members of the tribunal.

Nwaigwe gave the warning at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal in the state yesterday.

According to Nwaigwe, any attempt to influence members of the tribunal would be resisted, while the full weight of the law would be visited on such persons.

Nwaigwe promised that the tribunal would do justice in the matters before it, irrespective of whoever is involved.

Nwaigwe said the outcome of the just-concluded 2015 general elections gave rise to the four petition already received by the tribunal in the state.

In Abia State, the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in Abia State commenced sitting yesterday with a vow to dispense justice without fear or favour.

The Chairman of the threemember tribunal Hon Justice Mohammed B. Wakili, gave the assurance in his inaugural speech at the maiden sitting of the tribunal held at state High Court, Umuahia, saying that the tribunal was conscious of the constitutional provision which requires concluding proceedings within 180 days.

To this end, he stressed the need for counsels to the parties to cooperate with the tribunal for a smooth dispensation of justice within the stipulated time to enable those that might not be satisfied with the outcome to seek further redress at a higher court.

He stated that the tribunal was properly constituted under Section 285 of the Constitution to hear petitions presented before it by petitioners in accordance with Sections 133(1) and 137 (1) and (2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 and the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2010.

Justice Wakili said the job of the tribunal is necessary and by dispensing justice without fear or favour, position or standing democratic governance would be strengthened and sustained in the country.

In the first petition the tribunal heard immediately after inaugural sitting, the former governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, was granted leave to inspect the ballot papers and results sheets used in the senatorial election for Abia North senatorial district.

Kalu, who contested the senatorial seat under the banner of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) is challenging the return of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Mao Ohuabunwa as the senator-elect.

In Yobe State, the tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday granted the PDP candidate in the April 11, poll, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, permission to inspect the materials used by the INEC for the conduct of the poll.

The tribunal headed by Justice Mojisola Dada, granted the order for inspection of the polling materials in her ruling on an ex parte application filed by Waziri, through his counsel, Folashade Aofolaju.

Justice Dada was the only member of the panel in attendance during the proceedings, which were solely scheduled for hearing the petitioners’ ex parte application.

In Edo State however, the sharp drop in the number of election petitions have been attributed to the improvement in electoral process, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Mike Igini has observed.

Igini made the observation yesterday at the public presentation of certificates of return to members-elect of the state House of Assembly at the commission’s office in Benin City.

According to him, the number of petitions filed at Election Petitions Tribunal after the 2007 general elections were 32, which has gradually been reduced to 10 after the 2015 general elections.

“As I have noted, we are making a progressive change in our country. We are maturing from a total of 32 petitions in 2007 in Edo State. By 2011, the number dropped dramatically to 17 petitions. As we speak today, the number has also dropped to about 10 petitions at the moment. It shows that we are making steady progress”, he said, pointing out that the ills of democracy can only be cured by more credible election.

He however added that whatever progress has been achieved in Nigeria’s democracy could not be ascribed to any individual, not even to INEC as the umpire, but as a result of “our collective resolve to see that we keep this democracy ever young.