The Election Petitions Tribunal hearing matters arising from August 9 governorship election in Osun State, on Tuesday, expressed dismay at the disruptive behaviour of some lawyers during proceedings.

The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, expressed the dissatisfaction of the panel to the intermittent noise and grumbling made by some of the lawyers anytime witnesses gave answers they did not find satisfactory.

The interjections became so unbearable during Tuesday’s proceedings that Ikpejime had to caution the lawyers, who she said did not behave in a mature way.

Ikpejime said, “The noise coming from the bar is too much. We expect to see this kind of behaviour from the onlookers but it is unfortunate that the noise is from the bar.

“We are all mature but this kind of behaviour is suggesting otherwise.”

Lawyers appearing for the petitioner were seated on one side of the courtroom while the lawyers representing the first, second and third respondents were seated together on the other side.

Counsel from the two sides tried to blame one another for the disruptive noise.

The petitioner’s counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), said the noise was coming from the respondents’ lawyers while counsel for the All Progressives Congress (second respondent), Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), told the court that the noise was coming from the petitioner’s side.

The tribunal chairman, who was more specific, later said that the noise was louder from the respondents’ side of the divide.

Meanwhile, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has called four more witnesses on Tuesday who testified that the election was free, fair and credible.

The first witness to be called at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Balikis Sanusi, told the court that the election was free, fair and devoid of violence while she was being led in evidence by the counsel for the first respondent, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN).

The witness, who chose to speak in Yoruba, told the tribunal during a cross-examination by the petitioner’s counsel that she finished secondary school in 2003.

http://www.naijamember.com/osun-tribunal-knocks-lawyers-unruly-behaviour/