Nigerians in diaspora sue Buhari, INEC, demand voting rights in 2023

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been sued by Nigerians who are of voting age and reside in the UK and other countries, asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to uphold their fundamental right to vote in the general elections of 2023.

The plaintiffs in the case with the filing number FHC/ABJ/CS/2119/2022 urged the court to halt Buhari and INEC from continuing with the 2023 election campaign until the voter registration and bio-data base of INEC had been amended to include them as registered voters.

Chikwe Nkemnacho and Kenneth Azubuike Nkemnacho, both British citizens, were the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, according to court documents on Tuesday. Nevertheless, they filed the action on behalf of all other Nigerians living abroad.

READ ALSO:Buhari charges Nigerians in Diaspora on good conduct, promises to defend their interests

According to sections 13, 14, 42, and 17 of the 1999 constitution, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit brought on their behalf by Augustine Temfeh-Nkemnacho requested that the court rule that they were qualified to take part in the electoral process by registering to vote in 2023 and in all elections, regardless of their place of residence.

They also asked the court to issue a second ruling saying that INEC still has time to adhere to the terms of sections 13, 14, and 15 of the 1999 Constitution.

The plaintiffs said that their fundamental rights, as guaranteed by the 1999 constitution, would be flagrantly infringed if they were not permitted to vote in the 2023 elections and later ones.

The date for the lawsuit’s mention and for the defendants to submit their separate responses has been set for January 19, 2023 by Justice Inyang Ekwo, who is assigned to hear the case.

INEC, its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, President Buhari, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria were the four defendants in the lawsuit, listed in order of importance from first to fourth.

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