The three-man
election tribunal that handles all petitions pertaining to the April
polls in Edo State was inaugurated yesterday in Benin City. The panel is
headed by Paul Obi Elechi, and supported by Dije Abdul Aboki and
Olayinka Gbajabiamila.
Mr Elechi, in his
address at the end of the inauguration, wasted no time in warning
litigants, their lawyers and officials of the state government against
offering bribes to his colleagues, urging them to take such gifts to the
nearest charity homes in the state if they were inclined to
philanthropy.
Reading the riot
act to all those who might be affected by the work of the tribunal, Mr
Elechi said he and his colleagues were sent to dispense justice in all
election petitions filed before them and they would do so dutifully. He
said members of the tribunal had been adequately taken care of and that
his team were determined to do their best in the discharge of their
assignment.
“The Court of
Appeal has sent us and is taking good care of us. We don’t want any form
of inducement. If you have such money, you can use it to do some other
things or you give to charity,” Mr Elechi said.
On the integrity of the tribunal, Mr Elechi added that every petition would be determined on its merit.
The tribunal will
sit for six days every week, except on Sundays and public holidays.
However, Mr Elechi said time would be given to Muslim members to attend
prayers on Fridays.
He also cautioned
against frivolous adjournments and lateness to court, pointing out that
their assignment will only last 180 days, within which all petitions
must be determined, warning that any petition not determined at the end
of the time frame allowed by the electoral act would lapse.
The tribunal judge
disclosed that the body had received a total of six petitions, which
were filed within the statutory period allowed by the Electoral Act,
against the elections held in one senatorial district of Edo State and
five federal constituencies for the House of Representatives seats. The
petitions were filed by aggrieved members of the various political
parties and their candidates.
A plethora of complaints
Responding a lawyer, Ken Mozia promised that lawyers would cooperate with the tribunal and display professional conduct.
Mr Mozia decried
the body searches to which lawyers have been subjected by security
operatives posted to the court premises, and sought redress.
After the
inauguration exercise, A.O. Edeki, in suit number EDS/HR/EPT/06/2011
involving his client, the PDP member representing Owan federal
constituency, Johnson Abulagba, opened the proceedings with his
application for an ex-parte motion against the victory of the ACN House
of Representatives member-elect for Owan, Pally Iriase.
The six petitions
filed at the tribunal showed that some of the litigants are claiming
that they lost at the elections because invalid votes were added to
their opponents’ votes or because the election was not in compliance
with the provisions of the amended Electoral Act of 2010.
Claims and counter claims
A PDP petitioner,
Charity Amayaenvbo of the Ovia federal constituency, filed his claim on
grounds that his opponent, Isaac Osahon of the Can, was not duly elected
by a majority of lawful votes cast at the election. He also claims that
invalid votes were counted in Mr Osahon’s favour despite protests by
his agents in the field. Mr Amayaenvbo is asking the tribunal to declare
him as the winner, having polled highest number of votes.
Johnson Agbolagba,
in his petition, said there was arbitrary manipulation of votes and
figures in favor of the ACN candidate, Pally Iriase, and is asking the
tribunal to declare him winner after a physical recount of votes culled
from the affected polling units.
Other contestants for various other district seats in the senatorial
elections, Isaiah Osifo, Sunny Aguebor, Goodluck Aghedo and John
Ighodaro; Herbetha Okonofua, and Christopher Ebare also filed petitions
based on claims that elections in their separate senatorial districts
were invalid due to corrupt practices and non-compliance with the
provisions of the Electoral Act.
