The proceedings of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Abeokuta, Ogun State, came to an abrupt stop on Wednesday due to the strike actions of judicial workers who shut the court’s gates in the state capital.
Leaders of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) locked the gate of the Magistrates’ Court at Isabo, Abeokuta, which was the designated venue for the tribunal’s hearing.
This was in compliance with the ongoing two-day warning strike called by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in protest against the removal of fuel subsidies. The strike, which commenced on Tuesday, is expected to conclude at the close of work today.
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal had scheduled Wednesday for the judgment in a petition filed against Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, also known as Yayi, who represents Ogun West.
The petition, marked EPT/OG/Sen/2023, had been filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dada Ganiyu Adeleke.
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“The tribunal is expected to sit today, but they (judges) are unable to sit because we have locked the gate of the Court in compliance with the directive of the NLC national body. This is why the Tribunal can not sit today (Wednesday),” the State Chairman of JUSUN, Comrade Olanrewaju Ajiboye told Daily Trust
When asked about the time-sensitive nature of election tribunal proceedings, Ajiboye responded, “We can’t throw the gate open and allow tribunal to sit; that will mean we intentionally sabotage the struggle of the workers most especially the judicial workers.
“The tribunal has the right to sit anywhere, but this is our own premises, we can always close it as directed by the national body of the union.”