Appeal court: Dead judges not listed as tribunal members

The court of appeal says there is no name of dead or retired judges on the election petition tribunal.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sa’adatu Kachalla, media officer of the appeal court, said the report about the inclusion of 10 dead and retired judges as members of the panel was false and misleading.

On Saturday, Ibrahim Muhammad, acting chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), swore in 250 members of the election tribunals at the supreme court complex in Abuja.

Kachalla added that Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the appeal court, went through the appropriate channels before selecting members of the panel.

“The attention of the Court of Appeal has been drawn to a malicious publication making the rounds in some portals that the names of 10 dead Judges featured in the list of the 250 Judges sworn-in on 26 January 2019, as Chairmen and Members of the Election Petition Tribunal,” the statement read.

“In view of the above, we wish to state that there was no name of a dead or retired Judge on the list we sent to the Supreme Court for the swearing-in ceremony performed by His Lordship the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria Mr Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad.

“The Court of Appeal, therefore, finds this claim to be false, misleading and a total misrepresentation of the good intentions of the Hon. President aimed at building not only a vibrant judiciary but an endearing democratic society.

“The Hon. President had painstakingly through the efforts of the states Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Chief Judges of the 36 states selected these men and women of integrity to become members of the Election Petition Tribunal.

“The Court of Appeal, therefore, craves the indulgence of the members of the public to disregard this fake News in its entirety.”