Afe Babalola: Only retired judges should handle election petition tribunals

Afe Babalola, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says sitting judges should not preside over election petition tribunals.

Babalola spoke on Monday in Ado-Ekiti at an event to mark his 60th anniversary at the bar.

The legal luminary said election tribunals should be handled by retired judges and senior advocates, adding that with that, regular court cases would not be affected.

He also said the judiciary needs a total overhaul which can only be achieved with a new constitution.

“Our judiciary today needs a total overhaul and you cannot do it without a new constitution,” he said.

“I have about three cases myself in respect of matters arising from the university.

“For the past four years, these cases have been on. We have some judges here, the headquarters won’t be able to sit for many months because they are handling what they call election petitions.

“Election petitions should not be handled by sitting judges, they should be decided only by the committee set up consisting of senior advocates and retired judges in that case regular courts would not close down.”