Discourage frivolous election petitions, Falana appeals to Judges

Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has appealed to Judges in the country to be technical on election petitions to discourage lawyers from taking frivolous petitions to the court, saying this will reduce election petitions in the country.

Falana stated this in Ondo town, Ondo State while speaking on the topic, “The role of the court in Electoral Process and the time bomb of section 84 (12) of the Electoral Acts, 2022″ during a law week organized by the Ondo branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

According to him, Nigeria remains the only country where the courts elect leaders and not the electorates, noting that Judges must not allow lawyers and INEC to congest courts where it is unnecessary.

“Nigeria courts now elects and impose leaders on us. Under the current political dispensation, three governors were not elected by their people but were elected by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

”The Governors of Bayelsa and Zamfara States lost the election but the Supreme Court generously gave the decision that those who lost the election should be sworn in. No!. There must be a rerun election, we must allow people to choose their leaders.

“In Rivers state, they voted for someone but the Supreme Court said that the Rotimi Amaechi was not in the country on the day of the election and ruled in his favour. People must be allowed to choose their leaders.

”The Supreme Court must show good leadership by ensuring that the wishes of our people matter.

He maintained that lawyers have critical roles to play during election petition trials, emphasizing that ” On the roles of lawyers, we must begin to deal with ourselves. Only a few justices up there have the confidence and courage to call a senior advocates to order. So we must call ourselves to order in this country.

“We must now get to the stage where lawyers are referred to the disciplinary committee for discipline when it is obvious, particularly, the senior lawyers that are trying to ridicule the profession. I also appeal to our Judges not to allow INEC to congest our courts where it is unnecessary.

“Under the current Electoral Act, 84, 1, 2, 29, there shall be a primary election for all political parties, INEC shall monitor the election and what has INEC done now? INEC has started rigging the election, how can vote count when you’re imposing those who do not emerge through primary on the electorate. That is why I’m pleading with our Judges, to ask INEC to let us know their position on this matter before we can move forward.

“On our election petitions, I’m going to appeal to our Judges to be technical. It is not a criminal matter. Our Judges, and lawyers must desist from taking frivolous petitions to the court, senior lawyers in particular.

“So let us as a Bar stand up to fix the maximum for an election petition. I can assure you that the election petitions in this country will reduce.

“The election that was just concluded in Ekiti, people are not happy that there was vote-buying with different amount of money, ‘vote and cook soup’, but you can’t blame them alone because senior citizens collected thousands of dollars in Abuja so when they now get home what do you expect.

” So let us start from the top, the children, who engage in yahoo, most of their parent too is also yahoo politician, criminals.

“We as lawyers have a duty to save our country. Criminals are apprehended every day by the police, the ministry of justice I beg you whenever a criminal suspect is paraded in Ondo State, you must contact the Commissioner of Police to ask for the case file and then charge the person to court.”

While speaking, the state Chief Judge, Justice William Akintoroye said the theme of the NBA week ”insecurity and corruption as a challenge to Nigeria’s Democracy: The rule of law in securing the Nation”, was apt.

Akintoroye noted that the role of law in securing the country and Nigerians cannot be over-emphasised.

According to him, corruption has eaten so deep into the fabric of the nation, that security of the citizens’ lives can no longer be guaranteed even in church on Sunday.

The Chairman of the NBA, Ondo branch, Thompson Akinyemi added that if the provisions of the constitution are adhered to by the Nigerian leaders, the country will achieve peace which is a catalyst for development.

”Let there be fairness and justice from the leaders and this will ultimately bring a sense of belonging to every ethnic nationality and this will invariably bring peace to the country.

Earlier, the chairman of the law week planning committee, Adekunle Adetowubo, listed some of the challenges of the branch including building its bar centre, mobility to enhance smooth movement of the branch NEC members and financial assistance.

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