The action of the Nigerian chief justice influenced the decision of the Gambian Supreme Court not to entertain the suit by President Yahya Jammeh seeking to annul the result of an election he lost, PREMIUM TIMES has found.

The Gambian Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the petition filed by country’s ruling party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, and Mr. Jammeh, challenging the election results.

The major reason given by the Supreme Court was that it could not constitute the constitutionally required quorum.

When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, the court, which required five judges before it can adjudicate on matters brought before it, had only one judge – the country’s Chief Judge, Emmanuel Fagbenle, a Nigerian.

Mr. Fagbenle said Tuesday’s sitting was for “housekeeping purposes.”

He announced that the court could not constitute the required quorum to hear the petition because Nigeria and Sierra Leone have declined the Gambian request to send judges to adjudicate on the petition.

The Gambia relies on judges and other judicial officials from other West African countries to help fill its draught of top officials in its judiciary.
Mr. Fagbenle said the country has made a request for judges from Nigeria and Sierra Leone since last August, but the countries’ judicial authorities said they could not send judges outside the usual May and November judicial sessions as they did not anticipate the reschedule January session.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation in Nigeria confirmed that the office of the Chief Justice did receive the Gambian request last year.

However, it was a reply sent last Thursday by Nigeria’s Acting Chief Justice, Walter Onnoghen, that virtually ruled out any possibility of forming a quorum in the Gambian Supreme Court before the expected January 19 handing over date.

“You will recall that justices are usually scheduled to sit in your Supreme Court in the month of May and November,” the letter dated January 5, 2017 by Mr. Onnoghen to Mr. Fagbenle reads.

“Based on the long established understanding our court sitting schedule is usually drawn up with the consideration of this assignment. In view of the above, I regret to inform you that the reschedule dates for the sitting session of your Supreme Court is unfavourable to us as it will greatly affect our schedule and case management. I therefore urge you to adhere to the earlier schedule of May and November each year to avoid inconveniences to both judiciaries. “ Mr Onnoghen added in the letter seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/220090-gambia-nigeria-made-gambian-supreme-court-give-unfavourable-judgement-jammeh.html

Nice, E Be Like Say Body Dey Sweet This Jammeh Of A Man. One Thing 4 Sure Is It Is Either He Leave Office By Force Or By Fire

Jammeh is playing games

Nigerian Government should respect theirselves n stop playing power games when their own house is on FIRE..

He will die yes, but many people will also die

Wen an end comes to d reign of a man, even d holes in d ground will not allow him to hide in them. Mr jammah must be confuse nw

Hmm

Wow..

Naija be playing big brother role while the masses are ............. Hmmmm I jes dey look ooo

That is international politics at play, Mr president you have no other option but to handover Borrow or get kick out like Gbagbo.

Buhari is a failure and a terrorist

Yawns...How this one take consign me abeg?

This cow called Bulhari won't focus on his country o.


The fool will keep disgracing himself everywhere.


Zombies and Afonjas oya cum and masturbate o

He better pack his stolen/acquired wealth to those beautiful islands off the coast of Africa or the Caribbeans then live like a king till death comes knocking.

I pray God shows mercy on Gambia and most importantly on my Nigeria too. I don't know why some African presidents want to make government house their personal property for a lifetime.

What i know z dat at last he will come down

Buhari should just face Nigeria and find solutions to the problems he created!!!


What rubbish?!

a military intervention by ECOMOG in Gambia will require 80% support in form of military hardware and personnel from the Nigerian army, but with boko haram disgracing our armed forces in the past few years....i think jammeh believes he stands a chance...not that we can even afford another war right now.....in tribute to General Nimyel Dogonyaro a.k.a BLOOD AND THUNDER STYLE

L

but cant make their supreme court convict the likes of dasuki n co abi



mtshewwwwwww

be helping another man quench their fire when you're on fire as well

ideatoprince18:
Nigerian Government should respect theirselves n stop playing power games when their own house is on FIRE..

you are right my brother,Nigeria govt should please focus on their home and look for the lasting solution of the so called recession that does not want to come to an end.

jammeh should be smart, strike a deal and checkout, the ealier the better.

The only and best option left for Jammeh is to use the military that has been in his support to stage a coup and take over governance up till a certain period. Thereafter the military will conduct another election in which Jammeh will also contest. He may win thereafter..

The electorate had spoken through ballot,let Jameel respect the people's will and quit.

How can a man who has stayed in power for 22 years and not able to make his country self reliant even in the most desired judiciary Sector be struggling to stay put after defeat. SMH
He should just take the Honourable way out by handing over in January 19th before he receives the kind of order Obasanjo gave to those couple plotters at Sai tome and Principe

ideatoprince18:
Nigerian Government should respect theirselves n stop playing power games when their own house is on FIRE..

u be MU MU, weda u like it or not Nigeria remains the giant of Africa

This Jammeh go hear "Nwiii!!"...

omolami:
The only and best option left for Jammeh is to use the military that has been in his support to stage a coup and take over governance up till a certain period. Thereafter the military will conduct another election in which Jammeh will also contest. He may win thereafter..

where were you when the head of the military declared total and indefinite support to jammeh?