Katsina Chief Judge Swears-in LG Election Petition Tribunals

Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, has inaugurated the Local Government Election Petition Tribunals, comprising three chairmen and six members.
 Members of the tribunals were sworn-in by the Chief Judge at the headquarters of the High Court of Justice in Katsina metropolis.
 Justice Danladi Abubakar said that members of the tribunals would be deployed to the three senatorial zones to receive complaints and petitions arising from the local government elections, held on April 11 in the state.
 Justice Abubakar noted that the overriding objective of every judicial system is to deliver decent justice, which is the pivot and pillar that guarantees peace, prosperity and good governance.
 He emphasized that, justice delivery system operated in conventional courts has been bedeviled with problems of delays and prolonged adjournment unlike the tribunal.
 The Katsina State Chief Judge however, explained that the election petition tribunal is a specialized court, with set procedures, rules and practices, which ensure speedy determination of cases brought before it.
According to Justice Musa Danladi, by the provisions of Local Government Council’s Election Law No.4 of 2002 of Katsina State, it is mandatory for the tribunal to hear and determine all petitions within 90 days from the date of filing.
 He said  It is in view of this that three tribunals have been established for the three senatorial zones of the state and each tribunal shall comprise a chairman and two members in each zone, which were just sworn-in.
“I, therefore, urge you to be totally committed to ensuring compliance with the law. You must equally stand firm and avoid acts and conducts that can portray you as being biased,” He emphasized.
“There is no doubt that political cases are prone to pressure. You must, therefore, resist all forms of temptations and undue influences from any quarters,” he said.
 Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar warned that disciplinary actions would be taken against any member of the tribunal found engaging in any form of judicial misconduct.