Ogun Election Tribunal: APM petitions Appeal Court President over change of panelists

The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has petitioned the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa,  over the changes in the panelists for Ogun State Governorship and House of Assembly Tribunal.
APM National Chairman, Alhaji Mamman Dantalle, on Monday in Abuja, called for the disbandment of the new panel and be replaced with members who were not of South-West extraction.
The Court of Appeal had earlier removed Justice C.O Onyeabo as the chairman of the tribunal and replaced him with Justice Josephine Coker.
Dantalle said that the APM as one of the petitioners before the tribunal was worried that some members of the initial panel were disbanded without any justification in the law, following a motion filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that the Justice Onyeabo led-panel already promised to ensure justice to all parties, and that no member of the panel would be used to pervert justice.
He said that, however, the APC brought in motions to disband the panel without any cogent reason known to the law and request for a new panel to be reconstituted.
“The panel now reconstituted is being led by a judge who may likely dance to their tone and jettison the law in their favour.’’
Dantalle said that APM was not sure of obtaining justice under Justice Coker panel, having earlier worked as an Attorney General of an APC state.
He said that disbanding the initial panel would affect the party’s petition, describing the APC application as a means to waste the time of the petitioners.
“We have sent our petition to the President, Court of Appeal to give us another panelists who are not of South West extraction.
“We are of firm belief, that if another panel is to be constituted such justices should come from other geo-political zones of the country, and are not from the South West of Nigeria.
“This would ensure fairness and justice to all and sundry.’’
Dantalle, who expressed confidence in the Judiciary arm of government, whoever, said that the APM was watching closely all judges who were on assignment at the tribunals across the country.
He said that the party would not stop exposing any act of compromise noticed in the discharge of their duties.
“We advise the judges who are saddled with these responsibilities to refuse any attempt by any high ranking politician to making them go astray in the discharge of the herculean task of doing justice.’’
The APM and its governorship candidate, Mr Adekunle Akinlade, had filed a petition at the Tribunal to challenge the victory of the APC candidate,  Mr Dapo Abiodun, governor-elect in the poll held on March 9.