Afe Babalola

Afe Babalola, a Nigerian lawyer and founder of Afe Babalola University, has said that the election petition tribunals should be presided by retired judges.

Speaking on Monday, July 10, in Ado-Ekiti at an event to mark his 60th anniversary at the bar, the Senior Advocate of Nigeriastated that with retired judges handling the election tribunal, regular court cases would not be affected.

He also said that the judiciary needs a total overhaul which can only be achieved with a new constitution.

Babalola said;

“Our judiciary today needs a total overhaul and you cannot do it without a new constitution. I have about three cases myself in respect of matters arising from the university.

“For the past four years, these cases have been on. We have some judges here, the headquarters won’t be able to sit for many months because they are handling what they call election petitions.

“Election petitions should not be handled by sitting judges, they should be decided only by the committee set up consisting of senior advocates and retired judges in that case regular courts would not close down.”