Ex-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Olisa Agbakoba, advised the election petition tribunal to hasten up its dispensation of presidential election petitions ahead of May 29, set aside for swearing in the president-elect.
The former NBA boss stated that this is the best strategy to tackle any plot of an interim national government.
Agbakoba who mentioned this yesterday, explained that there would be no need for an interim government if the petitions were heard and disposed of before May 29.
He said: “The tension around the all for an interim government is that the presidential election petition may not conclude before the inauguration of a new president on May 29, 2023.
“But it’s very possible to conclude these petitions, provided the court systems are very proactive.
“Under arbitration matters, procedural orders and or directions issue peremptorily to resolve sometimes very complex jurisdictional and procedural issues.
“The presidential election tribunals are urged to adapt the procedures very familiar with speedy conclusion of arbitration matters.”
The lawyer outlined three key issues in the presidential election petitions, which he according to him were resolvable by the application of procedural orders and or directions.
According to him, the first is the “interpretation of Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as to whether securing 25%(per cent) of votes in Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja is compulsory to be president.”
On the second, he queried: “Is a candidate permitted to stand for presidential or vice presidential election when he is at the same time a senatorial candidate?”
Trending video of the day;
Photo Credit: Getty
