Politicians support Wike on ADR

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

Some politicians on Thursday said that using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to settle political conflicts, as suggested by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, will save money and time.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that litigation would be expensive and time-consuming.

Wike had last week said that ADR would allow more time for governance, reduce bickering and cost and time spent in tribunal, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

He made the suggestion when the executive members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators paid him a courtesy call in Port Harcourt last week.

Chief Martin Onovo, the 2015 Presidential Candidate of National Conscience Party, said that ADR would be useful in resolving all political conflicts.

“Alternative Dispute Resolution is good for all cases; electoral matters can be resolved through it, instead of legal technicality that can lead to miscarriage of justice.

“I will suggest that it be appropriately established for election disputes; it is a standard practice in Lagos State judiciary,’’ Onovo said.

Prof. Lai Olorode, a former National Commissioner of INEC, also told NAN that ADR was a good way of settling political disputes.

He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega, established an ADR desk which later became a full department.

“Alternative dispute resolution is in tandem with our culture; it is cheap and saves time. It is also convenient.

“The challenge is the political class which covets court drama,’’ Olorode said.

Alhaji Yahaya Ndu, the 2003 Presidential Candidate of African Renaissance Party, said that the governor’s suggestion was welcome.

“However, we should ask ourselves as Nigerians why we have so much electoral disputes.

“Is it as a result of any genuine and patriotic competition to serve our motherland, or is it as a result of competition to position ourselves to loot our resources?

“What we should be talking about is how to ensure that no matter who is elected into any position, opportunities to loot our resources are totally eliminated or at least radically reduced,” Ndu said.