C’River Chairman of Election Tribunal warns against interference
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The Chairman of the Cross River State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal ,Justice Olukayode Adeniyi has warned litigants against interfering with the activities of the panel.
He said any form of interference will be reported to the appropriate security agencies.
Justice Adeniyi, in company of Justice Z. U. Modibbo (Member 1) and Justice Eva Okoronkwo ( Member 11) gave the warning during the inaugural sitting of the tribunal in Calabar.
“The tribunal is not a battle ground and we shall proceed seamlessly and without delay.
“We shall discharge our duties to the best of our abilities and always remain mindful of the oath we took.
“All petitions shall be determined only by the evidence presented.
“We assure all litigants of a fair trial and we will not entertain any form of interference from any quarter and shall report any attempt to interfere with the tribunal to the security agencies,” he said.
He added that the tribunal is conscious of time and sought the cooperation of the bar and bench in the discharge of their assignment.
Murtala Abdul – Rasheed, SAN, a member of the inner bar .said the Nigerian public and the international community will be looking at how the tribunal carries out it’s assignment.
He however promised that the inner bar will cooperate with the panel to ensure that justice is served.
Chairman of the Calabar Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association and a former attorney general and commissioner for justice in the state Attah Ochinke pledged that his members will be very professional throughout the proceedings.
The panel will adjudicate on about 13 petitions which arose from the national assembly and state legislative elections from the just concluded elections.
The inaugural sitting of the panel is a customary practice where the panel formally introduces itself to the bar and general public.
The panel’s sitting was delayed by one week following an industrial action called by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
