Keep off elections, court tells military

Once again, another court of law has declared that the deployment of soldiers to maintain security and order during elections is unlawful and unconstitutional.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday made the declaration in a judgment delivered in a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Buba’s pronouncement was the third of such declaration, after the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had, on February 16, made a similar pronouncement while ruling on the appeal against the  judgment of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which upheld Governor Ayodele Fayose’s victory.

Buba on his part reiterated that the deployment of soldiers for elections was a contravention of Section 217(2)(c) of the Constitution and section 1 of the Armed Forces Act.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now