The Court of Appeal has denied media reports that some names of dead persons were included in election tribunals recently inaugurated by the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Muhammad.
The court, in a statement signed by its media officer, Sa’adatu Kachalla, said the reports were false.
The court said its president, Zainab Bulkachuwa, compiled the list ”with utmost care”.
“The attention of the Court of Appeal has been drawn to a malicious publication making the rounds in some portals that the names of 10 dead judges featured in the list of the 250 judges sworn-in on 26 January 2019, as Chairmen and Members of the Election Petition Tribunal.
“In view of the above, we wish to state that there was no name of a dead or retired judges on the list we sent to the Supreme Court for the swearing-in ceremony performed by His Lordship the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria Mr Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed.
“The Court of Appeal finds this claim to be false, misleading and a total misrepresentation of the good intentions of the Hon. President aimed at building not only a vibrant judiciary but an endearing democratic society,” it said.
The statement noted that the judge ”painstakingly through the efforts of the Nigerian Bar Association nationwide and the chief judges of the 36 states selected these men and women of proven integrity to become members of the Election Petition Tribunal”.
The court described the information as a product of fake news and urged Nigerians to disregard it.
The tribunal members were inaugurated on Saturday by Mr Muhammad, hours after the substantive CJN, Walter Onnoghen was controversially suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari for his failure to declare his asset.
The tribunal members, who are expected to handle cases arising from election disputes during and after the 2019 elections were selected by the Court of Appeal, according to the provisions of the law, PREMIUM TIMES understands.
The names of the 250 members are, however, yet to be made public. (Premium Times)
