Adamawa State has created a special group called a petition tribunal and an appeal panel to handle any complaints about the local government election that happened last Saturday.
The Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission (ADSIEC) held elections on Saturday, July 13, to choose leaders for the 21 local government areas in the state. These leaders are called chairmen and councilors.
On Wednesday, at the state High Court in Yola, the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, officially appointed the chairmen and members of the petition tribunal and the appeal panel.
Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman said that making this tribunal and panel is required by the Adamawa State Electoral Law, made in 2002. This law allows her, as the chief judge, to do it.
She told the members of the tribunal and panel to do their work honestly and quickly. She also said they should be fair and just in their decisions.
The leader of the Appeal Panel, Justice Samuel Kyanson, promised that the committee will do their job well.
The Local Government Election Petition Tribunal has three months to do their work, while the Appeal Panel has two months.
The Petition Tribunal team has Daniel John as Chairman; Sa’adatu Umar Babayi and Ahijo Idris Ateeq (who is retired) as members, with Lawan Musa as the secretary and Zainab Buba as the assistant secretary.
The Appeal Panel includes Justice Samuel Kyanson as President, with Justice Abbas Hobon as a member.