Prominent senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola, has voiced his opinion that sitting judges should not preside over election petition tribunals. Babalola made this statement during an event in Ado-Ekiti to commemorate his 60th anniversary at the bar.
According to the legal luminary, election tribunals should instead be handled by retired judges and senior advocates. He believes that this approach would ensure that regular court cases are not affected by the workload of election petitions.
Babalola further emphasized the need for a complete overhaul of the judiciary, which he believes can only be achieved through the implementation of a new constitution.
Drawing from personal experience, Babalola highlighted the prolonged nature of some court cases. He mentioned that he has been involved in three cases related to university matters for the past four years. He expressed concern that the focus of some judges is diverted due to handling election petitions, leading to delays in regular court proceedings.
Babalola’s proposed solution is to establish a dedicated committee comprised of senior advocates and retired judges to handle election petitions. This would allow regular courts to continue functioning without interruption.
In Babalola’s view, the current state of the judiciary necessitates a comprehensive reform that can only be achieved by enacting a new constitution.
