Kaduna guber tribunal begins sitting, pledges justice, fairness
Kaduna Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Isa Ashiru
The three-man Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal handling complaints of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Isa Ashiru, has commenced sitting in Kaduna State.
The petitioners are challenging declaration of Governor Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the March 18, 2023 poll. Pledging justice and fairness in his inaugural speech, chairman of the panel, Justice Victor Oviawe, added that his team would work within confines of the law.
He confirmed receipt of five petitions.
Oviawe sought cooperation of the Bar to enable the tribunal deliver creditably. Other members of the panel are Justices D.A Damulak and N. Nonye.
In his remarks, chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kaduna branch, Tajudeen Muhammed, assured the panel of his organisation’s support.
Lead counsel to the APC and Sani legal team and former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bayo Ojo (SAN), in a chat with journalists after the court session, said: “Today (yesterday), we are here for the inaugural sitting of the tribunal as you heard the chairman said. We have pledged our cooperation to ensure that the sittings go very well, while we are going to defend our clients to the best of our ability.”
Lead counsel to PDP team of senior lawyers, Samuel Atung (SAN), was represented by Prof. Francis Kwede, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Jos. Kwede said: “From what transpired at the inaugural sitting of the tribunal, I assure you that there will be justice. As members of the Bar, we want to assure that justice will be served in this matter. In this matter, I have confidence that at the end, members of the public will see that justice has been served.”
State PDP Chairman, Hassan Hyet, noted: “This inaugural sitting is a long awaited day. We are happy that the chairman of the tribunal has promised to be fair and do justice to whoever justice is due. Our prayer is that, at the end of the day, the tribunal will do justice to all the parties and the people of Kaduna State.”
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