Cleric cautions politicians against frivolous litigationsTHE Election Petition Tribunal (EPTR) sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, has received four petitions from three different political parties on the April 9, National Assembly elections in four federal constituencies.Speaking yesterday in an interview with The Guardian on receipt of petitions from parties, the tribunals secretary, Titus Oyelere, disclosed that two courts for the tribunal have already been created in conformity with the provision of the amended 2010 Electoral Act.He said the EPTR would handle petitions for the governorship, state and National House of Assembly separately. Oyelere also explained that the new creation as provided by the Electoral Act, is designed to ensure that cases are treated within the shortest period before the May 29, 2011 inaugurations, at the national and state levels, adding that the tribunal would soon begin sitting on the petitions.He, however, did not give details of the petitions, but The Guardian learnt that two petitions on the Chibok/Damboa /Gwoza Federal Constituency elections were posted on the tribunals public notice board.One of the petitions was filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), while the petitioner in the other petition was of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the same Federal Constituency seat, Dr. Wakil Chibok.Oyelere said the tribunal was yet to receive any petition on the April 26 governorship polls, stressing that the date for the submission of petitions would soon be made known as members of the tribunal for the two courts are already in Maiduguri.Meanwhile, the Anglican Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, yesterday cautioned politicians who lost out during the just concluded-general elections against approaching the tribunals on frivolous grounds.Akinfenwa, who is also the Anglican Bishop of Ibadan Diocese, in his address delivered at the first session of the dioceses 12th synod, said: While it is understood that there cannot but be misgivings among losers in any election, we appeal to our political class to be magnanimous in victory, or gallant in defeat, as the case may be.Going to court for redress is a fundamental right of all aggrieved citizens, but we appeal to our politicians to do so only on cogent grounds. We note with dismay that despite the efforts of the authorities to prevent it, the elections were tainted with irregularities and malpractices in a number of places. We hereby identify with those who were at the receiving end of these injustices and call for prompt redress in all genuine cases. Nevertheless, we like to appeal for restraint in our politicians quest to head for the courts to challenge results of the electoral process.
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