Connect with us

News

Thirty-Nine Judges Sworn-In by CJN for 2023 election petitions

Published

on

526 Views

At least thirty-nine judges have been sworn-in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria on Thursday to man the election petition tribunals currently sitting across the federation.

During the ceremony which took place at the Supreme Court, the CJN said the judges were found worthy to be appointed as additional members of tribunals that have been saddled with an “avalanche of petitions” trailing the 2023 general election.

Administering the oath on the newly appointed election petition tribunal judges, the CJN, instructed them to live above board and to submit to the sanctity of the rule of law in the discharge of their judicial functions, noting that the country needs peace “at this crucial phase”, he admonished them not to allow sentiment and public opinion to betray their sense of judgment.

His statement reads: “You have just taken an oath that has not only imposed a course of upright moral undertaking on you but equally looped you with destiny.”

“This is an enormous national assignment that will literally put the contents of your conscience to the test.”

“No amount of homily can convey the enormity of this task. But suffice it to say that you are already initiating an interaction with history. Whatever action or inaction you exhibit today will serve as your testament In the annals of the Nigerian judiciary.

“As judicial Officers, you may have, one way or the other, trodden this somewhat dreaded terrain, but you must, against all odds, rise above the murky waters of failure and infamy.

“The onus is on you to keep aloft the banner of honesty and integrity that the judiciary has painstakingly hoisted over the years. Your appointment to serve in these tribunals is well conceived, thus, you should do everything within your ability to justify this confidence.

“There is no doubt that you will be exposed to different forms of temptations and even blackmails but you should know that all are aimed at testing your strength of character, honesty and integrity.

“My candid advice is that, in whatever circumstance, you should always be mindful of this oath you have just taken because it now stands as an uncompromising witness between you and your creator.

“It behoves you to willingly submit yourselves to the sanctity of the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution in the discharge of your judicial functions. It is the general belief that elections held when the rule of law is too fragile, seldom lead to lasting democratic governance.

“You are enjoined to always strike a balance between justice and the rule of law as you embark on this critical national assignment.”

“As you all know, the rule of law delayed is lasting peace denied because justice is a handmaiden of true peace.”

“We need this in Nigeria more than ever before. The trumpet must first sound from the temple of justice; hence we put you forward as champions of this noble cause.”

“By the virtue of this oath, you are now armed with the power to adjudicate on electoral disputes and take decisions in accordance with your convictions, which must be deeply rooted in law and not sentiments or public opinion.”

“I pray the Almighty God will grant you the courage and wisdom to carry out this responsibility without faltering or failing.”

It would be recalled that the CJN had earlier sworn in 307 judicial officers to preside over petitions from the 2023 general election.

The addition of the 39 judges has increased the number of the various tribunal members currently hearing petitions that arose from the conduct of the 2023 general elections to 346.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Police Debunk Viral “Terror Attack” Video in Abuja, Launch Investigation

Published

on

21 Views

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismissed as false and misleading a viral video claiming terrorists were advancing on Abuja with heavy gunfire.

In a statement on Thursday, the Command said there was no terrorist attack or security breach anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory.

Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, described the video as a deliberate attempt to incite panic and spread misinformation.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, preliminary investigations revealed that the gunshots in the footage were manipulated and edited from an unrelated source, then superimposed on visuals of buildings under construction at an unidentified location.

The Commissioner has ordered a full forensic analysis to trace the origin of the video and identify those responsible for prosecution.

The FCT Police warned content creators and social media users against spreading false information that could cause fear and public disorder.

Residents were urged to disregard the video and refrain from sharing unverified content.

The Command reassured residents of its commitment to maintaining safety and security in the FCT.

Continue Reading

News

US Declares 23 Nigerian States High-Risk for Citizens

Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.

Published

on

By

24 Views

Photo: President Donald Trump; President Bola Tinubu

The United States Department of State has classified 23 Nigerian states “High Insecurity Risks” for its citizens to go , work and live.

In an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday, the Embassy in Nigeria urged Americans to reconsider travel to Nigeria, with certain states classified under “Level 4: Do Not Travel” due to heightened security risks.

Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba were added to the list, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged.

In Northern Nigeria, the advisory highlighted Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa as particularly high-risk, citing terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara were also flagged due to civil unrest, widespread crime, and kidnappings.

“The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain due to civil unrest. Widespread violence between communities and armed crime, including kidnapping and roadside banditry.

“Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning,” the advisory warned.

Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.

“Crime is widespread in Southern Nigeria. There is a high risk of kidnapping, violent protests, and armed gangs,” the advisory stated.

Continue Reading

News

INEC releases updated voters registration figure nationwide

Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.

Published

on

By

28 Views

The Independent National Electoral Commission has recorded over 3.4 million new voters in the ongoing second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise nationwide.

The figure is disclosed by the Commission in its week 13 update released on Wednesday in Abuja.

” A total of 3,441,121 registrations have been completed as of April 3, covering both online pre-registrations and physical walk-ins,” said INEC .

Given the breakdown, INEC explained that 2,068,384 citizens completed their registration online, while 1,372,737 others registered physically at designated centres across the country.

State-by-state data showed that Jigawa recorded the highest number of registrants with 201,047, representing 5.84 percent of the total.

Lagos followed with 181,095, while Kano ranked third with 177,681 registrations.Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.

Gender distribution indicated a higher turnout among women, with females accounting for 1,922,143 registrations (55.86 percent), compared to 1,518,978 males (44.14 percent).

Continue Reading

Trending