Nigeria: Presidential Election Tribunal Chairman Elevated to S'court - AllAfrica.com

Sufuyan OjeifoAbuja

President Umaru Genus Musa Yar' Adua have forwarded the name of Justice Jesse James Ogebe of the Entreaty Court and President of the Presidential Election Petitions Court to the Senate for verification as justness of the Supreme Court.

Also forwarded to the Senate was the name of Justice Mukhtar Coomasie of the Entreaty Court.

The nominations, which are in conformity with Section 231 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, were contained in an executive director director communicating read yesterday by the Senate President, Senator Saint David Mark, on the flooring of the Senate.

But there were fearfulnesses last nighttime that the nomination of Ogebe for assignment as justness of the Supreme Court may have got got got deductions for the handling of the requests before the Presidential Elections Tribunal.

With his nomination, some believe Justice Ogebe may have been rendered functious officio, meaning he have ceased to have the competency to sit down over the petition.

The Presidential Election Request Court have already reserved judgement in the amalgamate request of the Action Con-gress (AC) campaigner in the April 21, 2007 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his All Federal Republic Of Federal Republic Of Federal Republic Of Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) counterpart, Major-Gen. Muham-madu Buhari.

Both Atiku and Buhari are challenging the election of President Yar'Adua astatine the tribunal.

Last night, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) described the nomination of Ogebe as ego serving and executive recklessness.

The nominations of the two justnesses followed the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Ogebe and Coomasie will replace former Head Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore, and Justice Umaru Kalgo who recently retired from the bench of the Supreme Court.

Ogebe acclaims from Benue State in the North-central zone, while Mukhtar come ups from Kaduna State in North-west zone.

Yar' Adua appealed to the lawmakers to handle the verification of the nominations of Ogebe and Coomasie expeditiously.

Already, the listing of the two campaigners have been referred to the Committee on Judiciary, Person Rights and Legal Matters headed by Senator Umaru Dahiru for screening.

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The commission is expected to show a study to the Senate recommending their verification or otherwise.

But in his statement, the National Promotion Secretary of CNPP, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said Ogebe's nomination at this point in clip was ego serving, executive director foolhardiness and not due influence "aimed at corruption of the regulation of law."

"It put a moral load on justice, for he who pays the bagpiper orders tune. Why the haste when the lawsuit on his tabular array have not been dispensed with. He who pays the bagpiper orders the tune," he said.