Appeal Court needs more than 60 days to determine election petitions – Judge

A retired Court of Appeal judge, Justice Peter Ige, says the appellate court needs more than the statutory 60 days to determine appeals from Election Petition Tribunals.

Ige stated this on Wednesday in Ibadan during a valedictory court session held in his honour at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division.

He said, instead of 60 days, the appellate court would need about 80 days to hear and determine such appeals before it.

According to him, the current situation makes judges to work assiduously, usually to a breaking point in order to meet up with the deadline.

“In order to give the Justices breathing space, it is imperative for the National Assembly to amend the relevant provisions of the Constitution to increase the 60 days to 80 days for hearing and determination of appeals in the interest of justice,” Ige said.

He also called for the determination of all pre-election matters before holding elections and of all post-election issues before winners were sworn in.

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, commended Ige for leaving behind an unblemished record, deserving of being celebrated.

Dongban-Mensem, represented by Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, said the retired judge lived an exemplary life with virtues of fairness and deep commitment to upholding the principles of justice expected of him.

She said Ige has impacted on the lives of countless individuals seeking justice, thus leaving an indelible mark on the Nigerian judicial system and Nigeria at large.

Speaking also, the President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Maikyau, said the bar, bench and Nigeria in general would continue to cherish Ige for his contributions to the judiciary.

Maikyau, represented by the Assistant Secretary, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Oladipo Olasope, urged the appellate court to post more judges to its Ibadan Division.

This, he said, was due to the volume of cases and inadequate manpower at the division.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ige was sworn in as an Oyo State High Court Judge on June 27, 2001 and elevated to the Court of Appeal on Oct. 31, 2012.

NAN reports that Ige, who retired from the Abuja Division at the age of 70, had earlier in his career served at the Ilorin, Jos and Owerri Divisions.

The valedictory court session was attended by Bayo Lawal, the Oyo State Deputy Governor.

There were also the representatives of the Oyo State Chief Judge, Justice Iyabo Yerima, and a former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Adeniji Badejoko.