Abdullahi Shugaba
Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Danladi Abubakar, has inaugurated Local Government Election Petition Tribunals, comprising three chairmen and six members.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the tribunals were sworn in by Abubakar at the High Court of Justice in Katsina on Tuesday.
He said that members of the tribunals would be deployed in the three senatorial zones to receive complaints and petitions arising from the local government elections, held on April 11 in the state.
The chief judge said that the overriding objective of every judicial system was to deliver decent justice, which was the pivot and the pillar that guaranteed peace, prosperity and good governance.
He noted that the justice delivery system operated in conventional courts had been bedevilled with problems of delays and prolonged adjournments, unlike the tribunal.
Abubakar, however, explained that the election petition tribunal was a specialised court, with set procedures, rules and practice which ensured speedy determination of cases brought before it.
According to him, by the provisions of Local Government Council’s Election Law No.4 of 2002 of Katsina State, it is mandatory for the tribunal to hear and determine all petitions within 90 days from the date of filing.
“It is in view of this that three tribunals have been established for the three senatorial zones of the state.
“Each tribunal shall comprise a chairman and two members in each zone, which were just sworn-in.
“I, therefore, urge you to be totally committed to ensuring compliance with the law. You must equally stand firm and avoid acts and conducts that can portray you as being biased.
“There is no doubt that political cases are prone to pressure. You must, therefore, resist all forms of temptations and undue influences from any quarters,” he said.
Abubakar warned that disciplinary actions would be taken against any member of the tribunal found engaging in any form of judicial misconduct.
NAN reports that the chief judge had appointed senior judges and magistrates, with proven integrity as members of the tribunals.
NAN also reports that Hadiza Danja, Muhammad Usman and Umar Khalid are to serve as chairmen, while the remaining six people will serve as members. (NAN)
