The inaugural sitting of the Edo State Local Government election petition tribunal suffered a setback on Tuesday as labour union leaders enforcing compliance with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) strike action disrupted the proceedings.
The labour leaders ensured that the court did not commence the hearing of petitions arising from the recently held local government election in the state.
It is recalled that the State Chief Judge constituted the tribunal, and notice was given to concerned petitioners that the sitting would commence on Wednesday.
However, the sitting had barely begun when the labour union officials arrived at the venue, ordering everybody out and shutting the doors of the building.
The immediate past President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr Olide Akpata, who is also a Labour Party (LP) governorship hopeful for the 2024 Edo gubernatorial election, was among the dignitaries present at the tribunal to watch proceedings when the labour leaders arrived and stopped the sitting.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the tribunal has 18 petitions before it, with a timeframe allowed for all the matters to be dispensed with in accordance with the provisions of the state electoral law.
Reacting, a counsel to one of the defendants, Samson Eraze, said, “Before the strike, we received a hearing notice for today, and the inaugural sitting was supposed to be today. Because we didn’t get any other notice directing otherwise, we had to be here. We came fully prepared for the business of the day, but before the commencement of the sitting, labour union leaders stormed the court premises and asked us to vacate because of the strike action.
“The cases are time-bound, but we will wait for further direction. The time can be enlarged because any of the parties does not cause this,” he added.
On his part, the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Edo State, Comrade Odion Olaye, commended the level of compliance in the state and said the shutting down of the court sitting was in compliance with the ongoing strike.
. TheWitness
