Justice Ayo Salami, the Appeal Court President, disband the election petition tribunal led by Justice Usman Bwala sitting in Awka, Anambra state

The disbandment may have been based on several petitions levelled against the tribunal for collecting N190m bribe to misapply the law and subvert the course of justice.

Recall that on various occasions in court, lawyers representing various candidates had asked the justice Bwala led tribunal to disqualify itself for receiving bribe for allegedly striking out their cases on mere technicalities instead of trial on merit.

Justice Bwala had also in several court sessions denied receiving any bribe, saying he who alleges should prove.

Previously, some lawyers handling petitions at the tribunal petitioned the Court of Appeal president over what it called unprofessional activities of the judges.

According to the lawyers "not less than eight petitions were struck out without being heard on merit, while some were struck out for baseless and meaningless reasons."

According to one of the lawyers, Mr. Chibuike Nwabueze "the situation is regrettable and the non-release of the tribunals orders, rulings and judgments have no doubt worked hardship on parties who intend to appeal such rulings and judgments at the Court of Appeal."

Nwabueze contended that the non release of certified true copies, CTC, of those rulings have continued to effect the fortunes of the petitioners.

"Time is of essence in an election petition" and therefore ought not to be toyed with since both the tribunal and appeal tribunal all have limited time within which to dispose of the election petitions.

"While section. 143 (1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended gave 21 days for the filing of an appeal against any decision of the election petition tribunal, Section 134 (2) of the same Electoral Act gave the tribunal 180 days within which to deliver its judgment in writing from the date of filing the petition.

"So it is pure injustice on the part of who-so-ever to deny any party his/her right of appeal by deliberately withholding documents needed to lodge an appeal much more in an Election petition where time is of essence" he added.

"Meanwhile, these rulings were supposedly written, typed and read in the open Court, so what is keeping parties from obtaining the certified true copies of these documents", I believe there is more than meets the eye here", he noted.

Continuing Mr. Nwabueze added thus, "unlike civil cases, election petition are sui generis. Time is of essence. Applications are limited by time and beyond the specific time certain applications like the filing and hearing of appeal cannot be entertained."

Another counsel Mr. Chinedu Isi blamed the tribunal’s Registry for the frustrations being experienced by parties who seek to obtain certified true copies of the tribunal documents.

According to him, the honourable tribunal may not be aware of the difficulties and or frustrations many a party experiences in order to obtain the CTC of the tribunals records and documents and hoped that it will ease up with time.

The Justice Usman Bawala led tribunal had earlier controversially struck out the petition filed by Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] house of representative candidate, Mr. Dozie Nwankwo on the grounds of non-appearance by his lawyer.

Counsels to Nwankwo had contended that they were not served any notice of appearance by anybody, adding that this was a calculated attempt to frustrate proceedings.

Nwankwo has already filed a motion for the matter to be relisted and his petition granted audience.