TO dry clean the battered image of the judiciary, the acting chief judge of Adamawa State, Justice Umar Bobboi has warned members of the Adamawa state Local Government Elections Petition Tribunal not to give justice to the highest bidder, but to those that earned justice before the law.
Justice Bobboi, who swore in two five-member tribunals, said that the members of the two tribunals should be guided by the provisions of the laws and not material things to avoid miscarriage of justice and abuse of the judiciary rules guiding its operations.
He urged them to see the task conferred on them as a challenge and a litmus test for the image of the institution, and to shun acts that are capable of destroying the reputation of the judiciary before the public.
The acting chief judge maintained that democracy could only grow when the members of the judiciary uphold and respect their oath of office not to be selective and discriminate in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.
Bobboi, who advised those that were not satisfied with the outcome of last Saturday's conduct of the local council poll to seek redress at the tribunal, noted that the court was a place for those that feel some people or institutions trampled on their rights.
While responding on behalf of the two separate tribunals, Justice Michael B. Goje, who is the chairman of the appeal tribunal, assured the people of the state that only those that earned justice by law will get justice in his court.
"Political cases are the most difficult cases to handle, but we are going to strictly adhere to the provisions of the laws and not the thinking of people which is always different from the position of the law," he stated.
He urged lawyers to avoid technicalities during the tribunal to give the court good time to conclude the cases as stipulated by the law.
The first instant tribunal has three members with Baba Ali Kano, as chairman, while the appeal tribunal has two members with justice Goje as chairman.
