Home News 2023 Presidency: Court Orders INEC, AGF To Show Cause Why Emefiele Shouldn’t Contest

2023 Presidency: Court Orders INEC, AGF To Show Cause Why Emefiele Shouldn’t Contest

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A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice A. R. Mohammed has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to show cause on why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele should not be allowed to contest the 2023 presidential election.
Emefiele had approached the court to seek clarification on section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which requires political appointees to resign their positions before participating in party primaries.
In the suit he filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on May 5, Mr Emefiele, through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN argued that no law exempted him from contesting the primary election of any political party as a sitting CBN governor.
Ozekhome contended that the CBN Governor, being a public officer is governed by section 318 of the constitution and not the said section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended).

He urged the court to declare that the provisions of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended), allegedly being relied on by INEC and the AGF to disqualify Emefiele from contesting the primary elections “are inconsistent with the provisions of section 137(1}{a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered) which and have been declared so by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The senior lawyer also urged the court to declare that the CBN boss is only subject to the provisions of section 137(1) (g) and 348 of the Nigerian Constitution “which require a public officer seeking election into a political office to resign, withdraw or retire from his appointment at least 30 days to the presidential election, rather than by the provisions of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 or the guidelines, rules, criteria, measures or conditions made by the plaintiff’s political party or any political party.

Justice Mohammed has has however summoned INEC and AGF to appear in court on May 12, to show cause on why status quo antebellum, should not be granted to the CBN Governor.

The reliefs include: “A DECLARATION that the Plaintiff can only be governed by or subject to the provisions of section 137(1) (g) and 318 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which require a public officer seeking election into a political office to resign, withdraw or retire from his appointment at least 30 days to the presidential election, rather than by the provisions of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 or the guidelines, rules, criteria, measures or conditions made by the plaintiffs political party or any political party,” read the court filing.

“A DECLARATION that the Plaintiff can validly participate in the primary election of a political party and is entitled to vote and be voted for as candidate of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for the election to the office of President or any other office under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“AN ORDER that the Plaintiff cannot be hindered, stopped or precluded from participating, voting or being voted for at the congress or convention of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for the election to the office of President or any other office under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants or privies or any legal representative from hindering, stopping or precluding the Plaintiff from participating, voting or being voted for at the congress or convention of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for the election to the office of the president or any other office under the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended).”

He also requested the court to determine: “Whether the provisions of section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which are consistent with the provisions of section 137(1)(G) of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which have been declared so by a competent court of jurisdiction can be relied upon by the defendants to disqualify the plaintiff from contesting election to the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or from contesting or participating in the parties’ primaries or convention or congress for the purpose of election to the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria scheduled for 25th February 2023”

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