Nigerian government effect court judgement on section 84 allowing appointees to contest elections
The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it will act swiftly on the court judgement that grants political appointees right to contest for public office.
In a statement on Friday night, Abubakar Malami, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, said the ruling of the Abia high court will take effect and will be the only ruling recognised by the executive.
However, reacting to the court ruling on Friday, Malami said he would act “accordingly…in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment.”
Malami noted that the judgment will be recognized by the government printers “in printing the Electoral Act”.
“The Act will be gazetted factoring the effect of the judgment into consideration and deleting the constitutionally offensive provision accordingly.
“The provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not part of our law and will be treated accordingly.”
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Recall that move by the president Muhammadu Buhari led federal government to get the national assembly to expunge section 48 of the amended electoral act, which bars appointees from contesting for elective positions while in office, was rebuffed by the federal lawmakers.
It reads: “No political appointee at any level shall be 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.”
Buhari argued that this constitutes a disenfranchisement of serving political office holders because they cannot vote or be voted for at party conventions or congresses.
