A mild commotion unfolded at the presidential election court this morning (saturday) as lawyers, including senior advocates, and journalists were surprisingly instructed to surrender their phones, laptops, and other gadgets before entering the courtroom.
Bellnewsonline.com reports that a prominently displayed notice was affixed to the three entrances, leaving many lawyers shocked and dismayed by the sudden directive.
Bellnewsonline.com learnt that numerous individuals who had arrived early at the court found themselves locked out as the courtroom doors remained firmly shut.
The atmosphere grew increasingly heated when Josephine Ekperobe, the secretary to the presidential election petition court, appeared and informed the waiting lawyers and journalists of the requirement to comply with the instructions.
This sparked shouts of condemnation from the frustrated crowd of lawyers who had anxiously awaited entry since approximately 9 a.m.
Eventually, due to the uproar, ekperobe withdrew her statement.
A few minutes later, around 9:45 a.m., the doors to the courtroom were finally opened, allowing people to enter. However, no explanation was provided regarding the origin of the notice or the authority behind the directive.
Subsequently, the court’s secretary apologised, attributing the directive to “higher authorities.”
The ban on phones and gadgets is set to take effect from Monday, May 22, 2023, AIT reports.