CLO Faults Unending Sitting of Election Tribunals
From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka
Civil Liberties Organi-sation (CLO), Anambra State Chapter has faulted the seeming unending sitting of election petition tribunals and election appeal tribunals almost two years after the April 2003 general elections, saying that the main idea behind such tribunals concerning the 2003 polls has grossly been eroded.
In a letter to the president, Federal Court of Appeal, Justice Umar Faruk Abdullahi, titled: "We insist that the 2003 Elections' panels' continued Existence is Endangering Democratic values and Judicial Progressivism", and signed by Emeka Umeagba-lasi, Anambra State branch chairman, the CLO said true justice was "no where to be seen and the lifespan of these tribunals has become limitless and dangerous".
"If an electoral tribunal continues its adjudication almost two years after an election into a four year term of office was conducted and massively rigged, such a tribunal is by implication a kangaroo arrangement.
"The most painful thing is that the constituents and the larger electorate are being denied of proper constituency representation and electioneering gains. This is not to mention huge public funds believed to have been spent on these tribunals. In Anambra State for instance, where over 230 witnesses have been used by the state, at an average of N90,000 per witness, over N25 million worth of public funds might have been wasted on witnessess alone", the statement said in the letter.
The CLO urged the Appeal court president to direct election petition tribunals, especially in Anambra to wind up their proceedings and make their pronouncements for the masses of Nigeria and for posterity.
But the Appeal court president in a reply to CLO's letter said that doing so (winding them up) would be unconstitutional. "Let me first thank you for taking time to set out your observations and suggestions. I must conceed to you that you raised very valid points which if adhered to would be good for the polity.
"However, I must confess that you arrogated to me a lot of powers that I do not have, either going by provisions of the constitution or the Electoral act. It is obvious to me that you totally misconceived the extent of my powers both constitutionally and under the Electoral Act in relation to the operation of these tribunals. To tell you the blunt truth, I do not have these powers you assigned to me", Justice Abdullahi said in a reply signed officially as president, Court of Appeal.
He nonetheless blamed the role of politicians whose activities he said is unhelpful to the course of justice particularly in Anambra State as part of the reasons for the delay at the tribunals. He urged the CLO to beam its searchlight on these politicians and their activities.
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