Election Tribunals Begin Pre-Trial Conference

The two National and state Houses of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State have began pre-trial conference of the various petitions filed before the tribunal.

According to the Assistant Secretary of the National/State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Mr Sulieman Mohammed, the tribunals considered it expeditious to embark on pre-trial conference of the various petitions and the respondent’s reply before the tribunal.

Mr Sulieman added that the pre-trial conference would enable parties file and serve necessary pre-trial information and answers to the questions raised during the pre-trial conference period within the stipulated periods.

He further added that members of the tribunal were working within the framework of the laid down procedure and guidelines within the time line provided by the constitution and ensure speedy disposal of the various petitions before the tribunal.

Mr Sulieman said the pre- trial conference notice is to give the petitioners, respondents and their counsel directive as to the future course of the petition’s, stressing that the tribunal will adopt the best procedure  to secure expeditious disposal of the various petition in accordance with practice direction of the guideline of the tribunal.

The Assistant Secretary told The Tide that the pre- trial conference procedure seeks better avenue of promoting settlement and regularisation of the petitions filed by the petitioner. It will be recalled that the National/State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Rivers State had two tribunals for speedy disposal of the various petitions filed over the conduct of the National Assembly Election on April 9 and Houses of Assembly Election of April 26, 2011.

The first tribunal is headed by Justice Bashir Ismail as chairman while the second tribunal is headed by Hon Justice Veronica Ngozi Umeh. There are 34 petition filed before the tribunal.

Philip Okparaji