Business activities at the Federal High Court (FHC) were, on Thursday, paralysed due to the election break earlier announced by the Chief Judge (CJ), Justice John Tsoho.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Tsoho had, in a circular dated March 2, granted the judges few days’ break to enable them perform their civic duties.
In the circular titled: “Break for the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections,” the judges were directed to sit up to Wednesday before proceeding on the break and to resume work on Tuesday (March 14).
According to the circular, the administrative judges in the Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt judicial divisions shall ensure that a judge is designated to cater for the North, South-West, South South/South-East Geo-political Areas respectively, regarding urgent matters during the period.
NAN reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, on Wednesday night, announced the postponement of the governorship and state houses of assembly elections to March 18.
INEC’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye, in a statement, said the postponement was to make for adequate timing to reconfigure the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) ahead of the polls.
Meanwhile, a check at FHC, Abuja on Thursday morning showed that almost all the 11 courts in the high-rise building were not sitting.
However at Court 11 where Justice Obiora Egwuatu presides, out of the many cases listed on the cause list, only a judgment on an electoral matter was delivered by the judge.
Also at Court 8 where Justice Donatus Okorowo was assigned to sit as vacation judge, NAN learnt that the court would only sit if there is any matter of urgent importance.
The FHC CJ had on Feb. 20, granted similar break to the judges to allow them exercise their civi rights during the Feb 25 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
(NAN)
