Group expresses concern over credibility of tribunal judges

A socio-political group, the South South Democratic Watch, has raised concerns over the conduct of the Tribunal Jjudges in the south-south states.

Speaking to journalists after its bi-monthly general meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, Harry Sogbeyi, president of the group, frowned at what he described as “unholy romance between some Niger Delta governors and members of the election petitions tribunal in respective states in the region.”

According to Sogbeyi, the state governors who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met on January 13, 2019, in Port Harcourt where they formulated strategies aimed at manipulating the elections petition tribunal to their advantage.

He said the meeting had in attendance,r Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Ben Ayade (Cross River).

“At the meeting which was held on the heels of President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of the now dismissed Chief Justice of Nigeria.”

Speaking further, he alleged that the governors have so far received the assurances of judges to implement every trick in the book to compromise the tribunal panel.

“One of the strategies adopted and implemented is making the compromised tribunal panel members receive directive from the Resident Electoral Commissioners of respective states. And we have it on good authority that the move to compromise the tribunal has so far been successful in Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State,” he said.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and anti-graft agencies to wade into the issue.