FG Will Effect Court Ruling Deleting Section 84 Of Electoral Act, Says AGF, Malami

The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has said it will give effect to the Court judgment which declared Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act illegal.

The section bars political appointees from voting or being voted for.

But a Federal High Court sitting in Abia had declared it illegal today (Friday).

Justice Evelyn Anyadike held that the section is contrary to the 1999 constitution, adding that the AGF should delete it.

The AGF said he is making the move in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment.

Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, (Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice), disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

It reads:

“The judgment of the Court 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 so treated accordingly.

“This is in line with the dictates of chapter 7, Part 4, Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) on enforcement of decisions that makes it a point of duty and obligation on all authorities and persons to have the judgment of the federal High Court, among others, to be enforced.”