"Do not Relocate Governorship election tribunal or any election tribunal in Akwa Ibom State to Abuja"-Coalition of Young Lawyers appeal.

Akin Oluwadayisi, Abuja


The Coalition of Young Lawyers in Akwa Ibom State, an Umbrella body of young lawyers practising in the state, urge the Court of Appeal not to relocate the governorship election tribunals or any election tribunals to Abuja.

On Monday, March 25th 2019, the coalition in their letter to the President of the Court of Appeal pointed out that the sitting of Election Tribunals in Uyo will afford her members and other young lawyers, the opportunity to see and watch firsthand, the way and manner proceedings are conducted in election tribunals; thereby arming themselves with the requisite knowledge and experience of electoral matters, as this will in turn have positive bearing on the economic state of young lawyers in Akwa Ibom State.

The Coalition noted that the relocation of election tribunals to Abuja or any other jurisdiction will deny young lawyers in the state the golden opportunity of learning and earning a reasonable living since it's believed that senior lawyers conducting matters in the tribunals will definitely engage the services of young lawyers resident within jurisdiction and will in turn pay them for their services.

They stressed that there is no basis for the request that Election Tribunals be relocated to Abuja as Akwa Ibom State is very peaceful and has recorded no incident of security breach, which will necessitate the relocation of tribunals to Abuja. They further stressed that relocating the Tribunals to Abuja will mean denying young lawyers in the state the opportunity of participating in electoral proceedings for ( eight years; recalling that in 2015, election tribunals were relocated to Abuja.

While urging the President of the Court of Appeal to honour the wishes and yearnings of young lawyers in Akwa Ibom State and not relocate Election Tribunals to Abuja or any other jurisdiction, especially as there is no reason to do so, The Coalition used the medium to commend the efficient administration of the PCA over the affairs of the appellate court.

The plea was signed by about 45 young lawyers in Akwa Ibom State.