The Chairman and other members of the Abia State Election Tribunal must strive to gain the trust of citizens by placing justice above technicalities in adjudication of matters before them. The panel must show commitment and dedication to upholding the rule of law and also adhere strictly to the instruction given to them by the Honourable Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola not to rely on obstructive technicalities in deciding cases.

*It is factual that public perception of the country’s judiciary has recently tanked so drastically, due to trust deficiency. Citizens see the judicial system as profoundly corrupt, where judgments are for the highest bidder. They also believe that the courts are not insulated from undue political interference.

*This lack of trust and belief in the Nigerian judicial system is heightened when decisions coming out from our Courts as judgments are not predictable based on legal certainty and precedent. The major culprit isolated for being responsible for this lack of legal certainty is the prioritization of technicalities over justice.

*Therefore in order to breach this widening trust gap, the Abia State Election Tribunal sitting in Umuahia must be bold in playing its role of deepening our nascent democracy by promoting justice and prioritising same. The Tribunal panel members must ignore Labour Party’s unnecessary and excessive focus on technicalities, with a view to derailing them from dispensing justice based on refined legal principles and values.

*Following reports of what have transpired so far at the ongoing pre-trial, even to extent of introducing a strange prove of service to ambush the Petitioners, it could easily be deciphered that lawyers of Abia Labour Party
are clutching at strew and their only approach in response to the PDP’s strong petition is hoping for unjust outcome through fishing for non-existent procedural loopholes that will cause the matter to be dismissed on bases of minor technicalities, or create one by ambush when none existed.

*Again, it is worthy to mention that the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola in acknowledgement of the country’s legal system notoriety for relying on technicalities, forewarned all Chairmen and members of the 2023 Election Tribunals to entertain matters majorly on substance.

*In view of the foregoing, the Chairman and members of the Abia State Election Tribunal has a moral duty to help rebuild public trust and confidence in the courts, reinforce its role as the last hope of the common man, restore the trust of citizens in the independence and impartiality of our judiciary and also be seen as protectors of the rule of law by ensuring that justice is done, by deciding cases on the strength of their substance and not to be dismissed based on minutest technicalities as the Labour party lawyers are labouring to achieve.

(CDA NEWS)
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