*Justice Tobi Ebimowei throws open challenge in court

*Says ‘bribe money taken will strike the taker to death

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

Buruji Kashamu

The Chairman of the three man panel of the National and State Election Petition  tribunal in Ogun state, Justice Tobi Ebimowei shocked his court room with an unexpected, unorthodox remark, by throwing  a challenge to the candidates and the parties to speak up if any of them ever bribed members of the panel.

The challenge was thrown by the judge on Friday in his preliminary remarks before he started reading the verdict on the 12 cases that came for adjudication.

The Judge, apart from throwing the open challenge, rained curses on the bribe givers and the bribe takers.

He reminded his audience about what he said  when the tribunal commenced sitting:  that its members  have come with integrity and were  hoping to leave the state with it.

Ebimowei on Friday  delivered judgment in  12 cases, ten from the State House of Assembly,one on the House of Representatives and  the  12th centred on the Ogun East Senatorial district.

He openly challenged representatives of  political parties  or anyone who might have given either him or any member of his panel a dime to influence the cases to speak out now  or remain silent till eternity.

He proclaimed curses on those who may have collected bribe money on their behalf without their knowledge,saying,such people will be stricken by  untimely death.

According to him,”whatever has a beginning must surely have an end and the end has come today for the cases before us. Before we read the judgment,let me say this,on behalf of myself and other learned colleagues.

“We are before you the good people of Ogun state today. When we came in,I recalled that I said we all came with our integrity and by the grace of God,we will go back with our integrity.

“Today,I can say with boldness and all sincerity to man and my God that we are returning with our integrity.

“Anybody or any political party who either myself or any of my members might have collected any money from to influence the case or cases before us should come out boldly to say it.

“And if any member of the panel,including me collected money to influence judgment,I invoke judgment of God on us.

“And whatever money anybody has taken on our behalf,to promise them they will get to us to influence the judgment,I invoke that such money will strike them to death.

“There are some people who are making money out of these cases,they are those who are professional gamblers,hoping that their gamble will favour them.

“If judgment goes their way,they will say,they have tipped the judge to go that way and if it goes the other way round,they will sing another song.

“I make bold to say here without fear or favour that our judgment here today was not base on any influence,sentiment or bribe but on fact and what the law says.

“With all these,I want to thank you all,the litigants,the media,the security and everybody who have been solidly behind us and cooperating with us since we commenced the sitting,the good Lord will be with you all,”Ebimowei prayed.

The judgment  lasted for about five hours with many of the counsel,both  for the plaintiffs and defendants, showering encomiums on the panel for the easy way the judgment was handled.

In his remark,the lead counsel for the All Progressives Congress,Olumide Ayeni expressed satisfaction in the judgment and disclosed that the panel had demonstrated total sincerity and truthfulness in their judgment.

He  wish the members  success and speedy promotion in their career.

The counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,Ifeoma Essien commended the judges for their professional demonstration and unbiased minds in the handling of the judgment.

She said that,though,most of the cases were not favourable to her clients, she expressed satisfaction and  thanked the judges for their love and passion, as she jokingly admitted that she will miss the humour of the panel Chairman,Tobi Ebimowei.

Sayo Odumosu,counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, had earlier in his opening remark in the court admitted that,’whatever we got this morning, is what we deserve and from there,we can forge ahead”.

Odumosu thanked the panel for their openness,wealth of experience and their humorous approach to every issues,which has made their days at the tribunal,a family affairs .