In a dramtic turn of events, 15 Justices of the Supreme Court, Saturday, boycotted the first official assignment of Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammad, as he swore in chairmen and members of election petition tribunals for the forthcoming general elections.
Only Justice Sidi Bage was in attendance when the acting CJN swore in the 250 members on the 2019 election panels inside the chambers of the Supreme Court Headquarters in Abuja.
The maiden official assignment was coming less than 24 hours after Justice Mohammad was sworn in as acting CJN.
He was sworn in on Friday by President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen on the strength of a purported ex-parte motion obtained from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
No reason was given for the absence of the other justices of the apex court at the ceremony.
The constituted panels comprise the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunals, Governorship Election Petition Tribunals and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunals.
