2019 election timetable: Federal High Court dismisses suit against NASS
- The suit filed against the move by the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act has suffered a setback
- A Federal High Court in Enugu on Tuesday, dismissed the suit filed by an APC chieftain
- The court ruled that the plaintiff had no locus standi to institute the legal action against the National Assembly
A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu on Tuesday, May 22, dismissed a suit filed against the National Assembly over call for a change in the 2019 election sequence.
The court ruled that the suit filed by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anike Nwoga, is not justiciable.
Tribune reports that while delivering judgment on the matter, Justice A.M Liman held that Nwoga had no locus standi to institute the legal action against the National Assembly.
READ ALSO: Insecurity: Senate to grill police, DSS, military chiefs on Wednesday, May 23
Liman said the court also lacked the jurisdiction to entertain it the matter brought before it. He also said that for a person to have access to court, he or she must affirm his locus standi to make the suit justiciable.
The judge said that the affidavit deposed by the plaintiff does not show he has any justiciable interest nor did he disclose any special injury that the amendment will cause him.
“What legal right has he (plaintiff) where there are individuals directly affected or is he trying to tell us that the President and INEC are incapable from stopping the National Assembly from amending the Electoral Act in a manner that is unconstitutional.
“I hereby not only declare the plaintiff as lacking in locus standi, I hereby dismiss the suit,” Justice Liman said.
READ ALSO: APC crisis deepens as Dogara, 9 others drag Oyegun, others to court over LG/ward congresses
Speaking on the court's ruling, the counsel to the plaintiff Godwin Onwusi told journalists that they would study the judgment and decide the next course of action.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the presidency allegedly said that it had put an elaborate plan to frustrate the implementation of the amendment to the Electoral Act 2010.
Members of the National Assembly had proposed alterations to the sequence of the general elections in 2019 and beyond. The amendment to Section 25 of the Electoral Act, which was substituted with Section 25 (1) was adopted by a joint session of the electoral committees of both chambers of the National Assembly.
PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
The bill was however rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Legit.ng special report on Anambra governorship election on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
