By Cynthia Eruotor
A group known as Delta State Assembly of Youth Leaders has called on Nigeria Judicial Commission (NJC) to relocate all Election Tribunal Appeal Hearings in Delta State to the Federal capital Territory, Abuja which according to it, is to forestall the probable breakdown of law and order in the state following the tribunal judgement passed recently in the state which saw some people (winners) jubilating while others(losers) sad.
The body made this call in press conference held today ,Thursday, in Warri, Delta State. Addressing the Press, Dudun Oritsegbubemi Patrick and Orherime Bakpa, the Secretary and Public Relations Officer of the body respectively who spoke on behalf of the body, said they have uncovered a new trend in post -election intrigues which bother on political tensions in the Nigeria nascent democracy saying, it is public awareness that the general elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have given room for several electoral litigations by the candidates across board.
According to the group, post election litigations in Nigeria have become norms in the country which should not have been adding that, be at it may, all issues as regards the elections should be handled with care and swiftly to avoid the breakdown of law and order as it has observed with keen attention that the brewing political tension in the Delta State following election tribunal’s verdict passed in the state.
The group said:” As a group, the Delta State Assembly of Youth Leaders(DSAYL) has observed with keen attention the brewing political tension in Delta State following election tribunal verdicts passed in the state. While some political pundits are jubilating, some are sad and angry in view of the verdicts”.
According to the group, Delta State produces approximately 40 percent of Nigeria’s oil saying that, going by the Nigeria’s 1999 constitution, 13%of federal revenue is from natural resources is returned to the state as derivation which has made Delta State richest in Nigeria.
According to the group, post- election violence is not new in the state saying, the main cause of 2003 fighting in Delta State as in 1999, there have been disputes over the manner in which the state and federal elections are held saying that, the act of aggrieved persons hijacking the peace and tranquility being enjoyed in the state due to judgement of the tribunal recently passed should be guarded against.
The group therefore called on politicians who have lost at the tribunals to prepare for the next round of elections rather than inflaming passions just as it looks forward to NJC’s leadership to do the needful in this regard to avert unnecessary agitations that may degenerate to breakdown of law and order in the state.