From Tade Oludayo, Ibadan.
Chairman of Oyo state National and state Houses of Assembly election tribunal, Justice J.G Abunsaga has promised to dispense all the cases before it within 180days stipulated by the constitution.
He disclosed that the tribunal has received 36 petitions in respect of results of elections into the National Assembly and state house of Assembly in the state.
The breakdown of the petitions showed that 2 are on senatorial elections while 10 are on the House of Representatives. The remaining 24 are for the state House of Assembly.
Justice Abusanga made the disclosure in Ibadan at the inaugural sitting of the three member tribunal,
Other members of the tribunal are Justices G.C Nnamani and A.N Suleiman.
Justice Abundaga however sought the support of counsels handling briefs for petitioners , insisting their cooperation will determine the success of the tribunal.
He equally cautioned that the tribunal would not tolerate playing to the gallery by some counsels, stressing that the tribunal would not tolerate any extra adjournment .
Chief Richard Ogunwole , SAN who spoke on behalf of other counsels holding briefs at the tribunal , assured of their cooperation , declaring that the counsels equally attach importance to the need to work within stipulated period.
The senior legal practitioner sought the assistance of the tribunal to impress it on the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) on the need for the release of documents required by counsels to argue or defend their petitions.
HOMELAND NEWS learnt that the state governorship tribunal will be inaugurated later while findings showed that only former governor Rashidi Ladoja who was Accord governorship candidate in the last election has filed a petition to challenge the result of the election.
