Don’t take accommodation, gifts, from govs •NJC warns April 2011 election tribunal judges •Budgets N2bn for their welfare •New SANs emerge Friday

IN order to ensure their independence, members of the election petition tribunals nationwide have been barred from accepting logistics support from state governors, during the hearing of petitions arising from the forthcoming general election.

The National Judiciary Council (NJC), Nigerian Tribune learnt, specifically ordered the members of the election tribunals not to accept accommodation offers from the state governors and had warned of dire consequences if the order was flouted.

It was also gathered that the sum of N2 billion had been set aside for the financing of the election tribunals during the hearing and determination of petitions.

A competent source revealed that the sum had been separately appropriated to cater for the welfare of the judges that would be participating in the election petitions proceedings in all the states of the federation.

The source wondered why the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, would go to the presidency, when the funds set aside for the assignment were yet to be utilised.

Nigerian Tribune had, on Monday, exclusively reported a direct request for about N5 billion from the presidency by Justice Salami, allegedly without going through the normal administrative procedure of routing the request through the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The reported request by Justice Salami was said to be for the funding of the tribunals’ activities.

It was learnt that with the ban on state governments’ accommodation, the leadership of the judiciary would soon send delegations to each state to find “very comfortable” accommodation for the tribunal members where they would be expected to stay all through the period of determining the petitions arising from the elections.

Other logistics that would make their stay in states other than theirs comfortable were also said to have been put in the total package being made of their welfare.

A source disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that it was discovered by the leadership of the judiciary that tribunal members were always susceptible to manipulation by politicians, especially incumbent governors, because their welfare, especially accommodation issues, were taken care of by the governors.

Several petitions had been sent to the National Judicial Council (NJC) by politicians alleging compromise on the part of the members of the tribunals as well as allegation of being induced by incumbent governors.

Nigerian Tribune was also told that the N2 billion did not include the funding of the appeals expected to flow from the outcome of the tribunals’ proceedings.

The Electoral Act has fixed a 90-day lifespan for each petition.

Meanwhile, new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are expected to emerge on April 1, when the Legal Practitioners and Privileges Committee (LPPC) is expected to appoint them.

The 62 shortlisted candidates are expected to appear for final screening on March 30 and 31, 2011 and the successful candidates announced on Friday.

The LPPC had published the names of those shortlisted, requesting the public to bring issues of concern on them before the final screening dates.