Kwara swears in LG election petition tribunal

The Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara has sworn in two local government election petition tribunals for the September 21 Council polls.

The tribunal has three members apiece with two chairmen.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, the Chief Judge charged the panel members to deal with election cases speedily, saying that: “election petitions are by their nature peculiar from the point of view of public policy.

“It is a requirement of the rule of law and part of the mechanism of the democratic process that after any election, there should be an election tribunal to ventilate and determine disputes that may arise from such an election. The institution of an election tribunal has always helped to assuage anxieties and calm frayed nerves,” he said.

The Chief Judge also said that he and the state’s Grand Khadi are satisfied with the officers of the state judiciary who were selected to serve on the Tribunal, describing them as those with proven integrity and competence.

“I am, therefore, confident that they will discharge their onerous responsibility without fear or favour, affection or ill wilI,” he said.

Justice Adebara, who said that the non-inclusion of members of the Bar was not a slight on them, said that they would be accommodated in the future.

“I wish, therefore, to enjoin all members of the Bar appearing before the Tribunal to make excellence their watchword. They should not forget that they are fellow ministers in the Temple of justice with the Chairman and members of the tribunal,” he said.

“It is my hope that every counsel appearing before the Tribunal will behave in the best tradition of our great and noble profession.”

The Chief Judge also disclosed that an Election Registry had already been established in the High Court Complex.

Responding on behalf of others, Chief Magistrate Jibril Bio Salihu, expressed gratitude to the state judiciary, the Chief Judge and the Grand Kadi, on their selection, pledging that they would not disappoint on the task.