Members of the socio-political advocacy group Justice For All (JFA) have urged Nigerian election petition tribunals, particularly the Plateau State governorship election tribunal, to ensure the administration of justice in the handling of ongoing election cases.
They were particularly concerned by the tribunal’s decision to invalidate results based on pre-election issues against precedent, stating it is strange that the tribunal’s decision might lead to unnecessary anarchy. “We are concerned, if not shocked, by a tribunal‘s strange or ambiguous decision to annul results based on pre-election issues.” In fact, we are perplexed by the legal concepts applied by the two Plateau State electoral tribunals,” the group stated.
It did, however, express hope that the appellate court will correct what it called flaws in the judgements and halt the oncoming chaos, noting that all eyes are on the state’s Governorship Election Petition Tribunal (GEPT). “We are, therefore, appealing to the GEPT to do justice and uphold the will of the people,” the group said in a statement signed by its project director and publicity director, Sam Imodibe and Francis Nyame, respectively.
According to JFA, the tribunals chaired by Justice William Olamide and Justice Mohammed Tukur, who sit in the same building, appear to be on different pages, leading some to wonder if they are utilising distinct sets of regulations.
“We are asking the tribunals: Were the election regulations and guidelines substantially followed?” “Why is it that the Tukur-led tribunal overturns victories while the Olamide-led tribunal upholds the results of similar elections?” it asked.
According to reports, the Tukur-led tribunal’s reasoning for such rulings is that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacks the structure and legal standing to present candidates for the 2023 elections, despite previous court rulings affirming the PDP’s victories in the Plateau North Senatorial election and the Bassa/Jos North federal constituency House of Representatives.
However, the Justice Olamide tribunal rejected the APC’s claim and dismissed the charges on the grounds that the PDP lawfully elected its candidates after resolving the turmoil that preceded the creation of the current PDP state executive, led by Chris Hassan.
Imodibe and his supporters claim the Tukur decision contradicts the Supreme Court’s view, which was recently adopted by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) in dismissing the APM’s questions over Vice President Kashim Shettima’s candidature as Bola Tinubu’s running mate.
“However, we believe that the Appellate Court has the capacity and courage to ultimately and decisively right the wrongs and correct the manifest errors contained in the Tukur tribunal’s judgement in the interest of the unity, stability, and corporate existence of Plateau State,” the statement said in part.
