Connect with us

Politics

Reps to appeal court ruling on Section 84, petition NJC

Published

on

Jibrin moved as Dogara reshuffles House committees’ leadership

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to appeal the court judgement which ordered the federal government to delete Section 84 from the Electoral Act.

The lower legislative chamber also resolved to petition the National Judicial Commission over the action of the judge involved.

The House of Representatives has resolved to appeal a recent order by a Federal High Court in Abia State, mandating Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to delete Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The lawmakers, during plenary on Wednesday, also vowed to report the judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike, to the National Judicial Council (NJC), for nullifying the provisions of the section from the Act.

The contentious Section 84(10) of the Act reads:

“No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt to effect court’s order on section of Electoral Act – Malami

On Friday last week, while ruling on a petition by a chieftain of Action Alliance Party, Nduka Edede, who had approached the court to determine whether Section 84 (12), when read together with Sections 66(1)(f) 107(1)(f)(137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution, was not inconsistent,
Anyadike had held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever, saying it ought to have been struck out.

She also ordered Malami to delete the section from the Act.

But while addressing the lawmakers, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said he got to know about the case in the media and wondered why the House was not served any notice on the suit as a party to it.

The Speaker stated that he and the House would not sit back and allow it to be ridiculed under his watch.

Just like other members argued, the Speaker queried why the judgement was obtained in faraway Abia State, insisting that only the National Assembly had the constitutional authority to alter any part of the legislation which it passed.

He, therefore, appealed to Malami not to hastily implement the court judgement, but to allow the National Assembly to carry out its legitimate functions of amending the 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