Federal High Court Constitutes Special Task Force On Pre-Election Cases

The Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court (FHC) Justice John Tsoho has constituted a special task force of selected judges to dispose of pre-election cases pending in all the court’s divisions nationwide.

According to a statement by the court’s spokesman, Dr. Catherine Oby Christopher, the constitution of the special committee became necessary in view of the high volume of pre-election cases still pending before the court.

Oby-Christopher quoted a circular letter issued by the CJ as saying judges, who are members of the Task Force will suspend all regular cases in their respective courts, due to the urgency of the electoral cases, which are time-bound.

“In view of the large volume of pre-election cases filed so far; with the imminent attendant risk of lapsing, it has become necessary to constitute a task force to speedily dispose of the matters, particularly in those judicial divisions with a glut of them.”

She also quoted the CJ as saying judges on the task force, will have four weeks within which to dispose of the pre-election cases.

Oby-Christopher, who was not categorical about the actual number of the pending cases, said “until the task force meets, we cannot know because we are talking about the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”

It was learnt the task force will hold its first meeting on or before November 7.