TheCable

Zainab Bulkachuwa, president of the court of appeal, has warned secretaries of the election petition tribunals not to allow themselves to be used as tools to truncate justice.

Bulkachuwa gave the warning at a one-day training of the tribunal secretariat staff in Abuja on Friday.

She admonished them not to compromise their integrity “no matter how highly placed the personalty involved is”.

“I will at this stage sound a note of warning, do not allow anybody to compromise your integrity or future, no matter how highly placed that person may be,” she said.

“Do not be used as tools to truncate the process. Avoid offending, participating in serious disputes and disrupting the workplace.

“I will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against any of you who repeatedly or intentionally fails to follow our code of conduct. The court will focus its searchlight on corrupt secretariat staff.

“Any staff found wanting would only have his or herself to blame, as the court will definitely not spare the rod in ensuring that the honour and respect of the court and the judiciary is protected.”

Aliyu Ibrahim, chief registrar of the court, urged the secretariat staff not to be intimidated by any lawyer, but to be firm in ensuring that petitions were filed in compliance with the law.

He also implored the workers to ensure that they worked closely with the security agents attached to their tribunals in ensuring prompt payments of their allowance.