Delta Youths Seeks Relocation of Election Tribunal Appeal

Sylvester Idowu in Warri 

In response to growing tension over the recent judgment of the election petition tribunal in Asaba, the Delta State Assembly of Youth Leaders (DSAYL) has appealed to the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to relocate all the Election Tribunal Appeal hearings in the state to Abuja.

The group, led by its Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Dudun Patrick, and Orhereme Bakpa, respectively made the appeal yesterday at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondent’s Chapel secretariat in Warri.

DSAYL, a coalition of youth leaders across Delta and a non-political organisation with no party affiliation, maintained that it had observed the brewing tension in the state following the recent Election Petition Tribunal verdicts passed in the state.

It noted that while some political pundits were jubilating, some were sad and angry with the verdicts, hence the need to relocate the appeal hearings to a neutral ground.

The group insisted that the NJC must act fast by relocating all appeal hearings from Delta State in order to avert a possible breakdown of law and order in the state.

“We are here to point out an issue that the federal government should handle swiftly and carefully to avert unnecessary agitations that may lead to the breakdown of law and order. We have observed with keen attention the brewing political tension in Delta following the election petition tribunal verdicts passed in the state.

“What we do not want as a group in Delta is that aggrieved persons are highjacking the peace and tranquility currently being enjoyed in the state. As there seems to be growing tension in the camp of those who lost their petitions at the various tribunals,” it stated.

While admitting that the political tension was not peculiar to Delta alone, but also in some other states in the country, the youths called on politicians, who had lost at the tribunals to prepare for the next round of elections rather than spoiling for war.

“We believed as a group that our justices must be protected at all cost and the sanctity of the Judiciary must be upheld at all times,” the group said.

It urged the NJC’s leadership to do the needful to avert unnecessary agitations that may degenerate into a breakdown of law and order in the state.