Ahead of the forthcoming September 21 local government election in Kwara state. The Chief Judge of Kwara state, Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara, on Thursday swore in two sets of local government election petition tribunal.
ROYAL NEWS gathered that that the election petition tribunal has three members each in the two sets, with two chairmen.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony, 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 Kadi are satisfied that the officers of the state judiciary that were selected to serve on the Tribunal are officers of proven integrity and competence.
“I am, therefore, confident that they will discharge their onerous responsibility without fear or favour, affection or ill wilI”.
Justice Adebara, who said that 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. 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 announced that an Election Registry has already been established in the High Court Complex.
Chief Magistrate Jibril Bio Salihu, who spoke on behalf of others, expressed gratitude and appreciation to the state judiciary and both the Chief Judge and the Grand Kadi, on their selection, pledging that they would not disappoint on the task given.
