The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it would encourage politicians in the country to use alternative means in resolving political disputes instead of heading to the tribunals at all times.
In his address at a one day workshop on "Alternative Dispute Resolution" (ARD) with the theme: "Resolving Political Disputes in a Democratic Setting-The Place of Alternative Dispute Resolution," the INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu said the idea will be good for the country giving that it will enhance both political and economical development of the nation.
Iwu who was represented by INEC National Commissioner, Victor Chukwuani said it would also accord the executive the chance of focusing on nation building instead of dissipating energy at the various electoral tribunals in the country.
"Now is the time for us to find other viable methods of resolving electoral disputes because it is regrettable that after almost two years we had the elections, we still have many cases at the tribunals, you could call it mediation, arbitration, conciliation, negotiation or what have you but the bottom line is that issues would be resolved amicably and the nation will be better for it," he said.
Continuing, the INEC boss said that such alternative means of resolving electoral disputes will reduce the work load of the judges.
He therefore advocated for a situation where winners in elections will be magnanimous in victory while those who lost should accept their fate and not to continue to drag the whole nation back in tribunals "because in my view conflicts are phenomenal that could be avoided".
In his own remarks, the Senate President David Mark who was represented by Senator Isiaka Adeleke charged politicians to always play the game according to the rules right from the beginning noting that most disputes start from the nomination process where people begin to agitate for the party's ticket ahead of the election proper.
Mark, then, advocated for a national workshop that will dwell mainly on strengthening our internal democracy "and part of it is that we must device other means of solving electoral disputes in this country". Two papers were presented at the occasion with Dr. Paul Idornije a former Senior Lecturer at Nigeria Law School presenting the paper entitled: "Overview of Alternative Dispute Resolution Process," while the second paper entitled: "Application of Alternative Dispute Resolution Process to Political Party Disputes was delivered by Prof. Andrew Chukwuemerie of the Ebonyi State University.