By Lillian Okenwa
The judiciary has again been urged to urgently look into the matter of regular cases being abandoned on account of election petitions.
At the ongoing law week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abuja branch, the pains of litigants and the attendant danger that unresolved litigations pose to society as election petitions have taken centre stage came to the fore.
Making a contribution in one of the sessions at the Law Week tagged: The Crucial Role of Legal Professionals in Reforming Nigeria’s Socio-Political Economy, Chairman, of NBA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN who chaired the panel disclosed that out of the 20 judges in Abia State Judiciary, 12 are on election tribunal leaving only 10 to grapple with regular matters in the courts.
“Abia has about 20 judges. 12 are on election tribunal. Everything is at a standstill.”
Acknowledging that it is a grave error for regular cases to lie prostrate on account of election tribunals, he recounted the case of near bloodshed between two communities involved in a land matter he is handling.
Stressing the dangers of unresolved festering real-life issues that affect regular Nigerians beyond the elites that are concerned about winning elections and election tribunal, Ojukwu said it took his getting across to the Inspector General of the Police who in turn reached out to the Commissioner of Police Abia state for a bloodbath between the communities to be averted that nightmarish night.
The Law teacher also pointed out that trial in the matter was to commerce after Easter but that as it stands, dates are not available until around October.
In the meantime, one of the Panelists Prof. Agbo I. Madaki, Dean, Faculty of Law, Baze University suggested that the INEC Act should be amended to allow for NBA nominees on the board.
Madaki however added that the challenge is lawyers get appointed into statutory board positions but become silent rather than make positive contributions.
“They occupy statutory positions in a lot of cases but do not behave like lawyers. Some have even engaged in unethical conduct and should be sanctioned. The disciplinary machinery should be invoked to bring people who bring the legal profession to disrepute to book.”
On his part, Felix Ashimole, Abuja lawyer and Publisher of Kubwa Express alleged that in the various elections across NBA branches and the National, most of the contestants have corruption issues.
He also questioned the rationale behind the high score awarded to INEC after the 2023 elections by NBA President Y. C. Maikyau, despite the credibility issues the organization is facing.
