Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has criticised the judgement of the Federal High Court, Umuahia, nullifying section 84(12) of the Electoral Act.
The section bad barred political appointees from contesting in an election. But the court had held that the section was null and void as it contradicted the 1999 Constitution.
The presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike had insisted that the Constitution already provides that appointees of government seeking to contest elections are only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election. The judge then ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation to delete the section.
But in his reaction, Adegboruwa according to an online medium, thesetimesmedia, expressed the wish that the judiciary would not “destroy Nigeria in our lifetime”.
According to him, it was improper to nullify an Act without joining the National Assembly.
He said “the Electoral Act is an act of the National Assembly. How can you ‘nullify’ an Act without joining the institution that made the Act, so that they can be heard concerning what they did?
“When a defendant (Federal Government) rejoices over a judgment delivered against it as a party, then you know there is problem in Nigeria.
“Let the National Assembly, the political parties and NGOS appeal against the judgment as interested parties.
“Why do you want to hold on to your office as a political appointee and at the same time be a candidate in an election?
“May Nigeria not happen to us in this way.”
