In Jigawa State, the judiciary has launched local government election petitions and appeal tribunals to address disputes following the local government elections held on 5th October 2024.
This initiative aims to resolve complaints from candidates and voters who believe they were wronged during the election process.
The establishment of these tribunals was announced in a statement by Abbas Rufa’i Wangara, Director of Protocol and Publicity for the State Judiciary.
“The judicial panel is expected to receive complaints from those who felt cheated or robbed of their victory or any other negativities that emerged during the elections across the state,” Wangara stated.
The tribunals will convene at various locations across the state to facilitate access for all petitioners. According to the statement, “in Jigawa Central Senatorial District, the court is sitting at Chief Magistrate Court II Dutse, while in Jigawa North East Senatorial District, the court is sitting at Chief Magistrate Court Hadejia. In Jigawa North-West Senatorial District, the tribunal will meet at Chief Magistrate Court Kazaure.”
The Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal will be at the Jigawa State Judiciary Complex in Dutse.
This move underscores the state’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the electoral process as officials work to address the grievances of aggrieved candidates and voters.