ELECTORAL ACT SECTION 84 (12): SUPREME COURT STRIKES OUT BUHARI, MALAMI SUIT – NATION PG. 5, SATURDAY SUN PG. 29, PUNCH PG.17, DAILY TRUST PG. 7,
President Muhammadu Buhari and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)/Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN) yesterday lost the battle to void provisions of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022. The Supreme Court struck out the suit in which the applicants challenged that section of the Act on the grounds that it violates the rights of political appointees. The section 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.” The House of Representatives and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, hailed the verdict of the apex court.
S’COURT: PRESIDENT CAN’T ASK COURT TO REMOVE A LAW HE SIGNED –SATURDAY SUN PG. 1 AND 5
The Supreme Court yesterday struck out the suit challenging section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 banning political appointees from voting at the primaries of political parties, for being incompetent and lacking in merit. The Attorney-General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the federal government, had filed the suit on the grounds that it violates the rights of political appointees and that it is in conflict with provisions of the constitution. The section 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.” In a counter-affidavit filed by the parliament, the lawmakers argued that the constitution empowers them to make laws, and therefore, urged the Apex Court to strike out the suit instituted by President Buhari and AGF.
