Elections: Federal High Court CJ declares 5-day break to allow judges vote

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (FHC), Justice John Tsoho, has declared a five-day break to allow the judges of the court participate in the Saturday’s election.

Justice Tsoho, who gave the directive in a letter dated Feb 20 and titled, “Break for the 2023 General Elections,” said the judges would halt proceeding after Wednesday’s sitting and would resume duty on Feb. 28, three days after the polls.

Our correspondent reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for Feb. 25.

Tsoho, who said that the break was to enable the judges vote in the elections, said there would be a judge who “will sit in each of the geo-political zones to hear urgent matters during the period.”

The letter reads: “In view of the forthcoming 2023 General Elections, your lordships are by this circular letter permitted to observe a short break in order to perform your civic duties.

“Your lordships are to sit on Wednesday before proceeding on the break and shall resume work on Feb. 28.

“The administrative judges in the Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt Judicial Divisions, shall ensure that a judge is designated to cater for the north, south-west, south-south and south-east geo-political areas respectively, regarding urgent matters during the period.”