Former All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary Comrade Timi Frank has warned the Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) from using legal jargon when making final rulings.
According to him, such a move might entirely erode the trust that petitioners who are oppressed and disenfranchised and whose electoral mandates are purportedly being blatantly stolen have in the judiciary.
In a statement, Frank urged the court’s five justices to keep in mind the high hopes Nigerians have for them to allay their resentment over the blatant cheating and manipulation of the presidential election on February 25, 2023.
He said that they should be led by morality, the truth, and reverence for God in the discharge of their crucial national assignment.
Frank also urged them to painstakingly sift the petitions before them, examine arguments for and against made by petitioners and defendants and unbiased reach a decision based on facts and unassailable truth.
He said: “As the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal begins its hearing and determination of suits brought before it, it is noteworthy that the enthusiasm and expectation of Nigerians is at an all-time high, which signifies a renewed hope in the judiciary as an unbiased arbiter.”
He noted that “the five Justices who had been selected for this arduous task are aware of the magnitude of the assignment before them, and therefore, must ensure that they uphold the high sense of integrity expected of them as Justices of the Court of Appeal.”
Frank added: “The overall consideration and subsequent decision of the tribunal must be seen to reflect the basis for judicial decisions, which are the products of two fixed elements: the facts and the rule of law.
“Therefore all the features of a good judgment are expected to be demonstrated by the Justices in an accurate, succinct, factual and vivid manner.”
According to him, “We are hopeful that there is a more sense of reasoning, rather than technicality that will aid in the final determination of the various Appeals.”
