Politicians who feel they have been wronged have been warned by Judge Olukayode Adeniyi, the chairman of the Cross River State Elections Petition Tribunal, that the tribunal is not a battlefield.
The panel was scheduled to meet for the first time early last week. Still, it was postponed because the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, began an industrial action that resulted in the closure of all courts in the state.
Adeniyi said the three-person panel, which includes Justices Z. U. Modibbo and Eva Okoronkwo, would carry out its duties to the best of its abilities and treat all petitioners fairly at its first hearing in Calabar today.
He declared that the tribunal was not a battlefield and we would move along smoothly and without delay. We will carry out our responsibilities to the best of our abilities while constantly remembering the pledge we took. We guarantee a fair trial for all litigants, and we won’t accept interference of any kind from anyone. We’ll also alert the security services about any interference attempts.
He emphasised that they needed more time and asked for the bar and bench’s assistance in carrying out their mandate.
Murtala Abdul-Rasheed, SAN, an inner bar member, also stated that the Nigerian public and the international community would be watching how the tribunal fulfils its mandate.
Attah Ochinke, the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Calabar branch, promised in his remarks that his members would conduct themselves professionally and wisely during the proceedings.
He stated, “We will take our roles seriously and stop at nothing to assist the tribunal in reaching the right decision.
