Omisore asks NJC to probe tribunal members

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has called on the National Judicial Council to probe the activities of Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime-led Election Petitions Tribunal which dismissed his petition against Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Friday.

The call came as the petitioner’s reaction to the dismissal of his petition which the three-man panel unanimously agreed could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Omisore, who said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Saturday by his media aide, Mr. Victor Oriola, said he would appeal the judgment.

He described  the  dismissal of his petition   by the panel as a travesty of justice.

The allegation of corruption came as a surprise to many because one of the counsels to the petitioner, Mr. Nathaniel Oke ( SAN) had commended the panel while closing his case that the panel had maintained their integrity and none of the parties in the case had written any petition against any of them.

Oke reiterated his comment on the integrity of the panel on Friday after the judgment but said while the verdict was binding  on them it was not the final because they had some areas of disagreements.

Omisore’s statement read, “We had thought that the tribunal  members were of impeccable characters when our supporters were calling our attention to unholy liaison between Aregbesola’s agents and tribunal  members.

“Indication that the judgment was procured emerged shortly after the tribunal  began its ruling around10.00am on Friday when APC supporters were jubilating that they had won. It is instructive to note that the tribunal  commenced its ruling at 9.10am and rounded off by 4.38pm.

” The question to ask is: If the APC was not privy to the judgment, why were they jubilating when the tribunal  has not pronounced its judgment?

“The National Judicial Commission  should beam its searchlight on unscrupulous judges who had compromised and desecrated the judiciary with a view to rid our law court of corrupt judges who have penchant for perverting justice.

“We approached the Tribunal with the abiding faith in God that Justice will be done no matter how long it takes and we are unwavering in our belief that the appellate court would do justice to the petition.

“We want to urge our teeming supporters not to despair despite this momentary setback as we shall surely retrieve our mandate in due course.”

It will be recalled that the  President of the Court of Appeal had constituted a three man panel headed by Justice I.M. Bako to try the petition but Bako was removed following a petition written against him.

Justice Sulieman Ambrusa was appointed to lead the panel after Bako’s removal but the APC kicked against this and petitioned the Nigeria Judicial Council that Ambrussa should be replaced.

The entire panel was dissolved and a new panel headed by Justice  Ikpejime was constituted to try the case. Other members of the tribunal which eventually tried the petitioner are:  Justices Vincent Ofosi and A. I. kutigi.