Politics

[JUST IN] Electoral Act: Senate To Appeal Ruling Allowing Political Appointees Contest Primaries

Published

3 years ago

March 23, 2022

Editor

The Senate has resolved to appeal the judgement of Federal High Court, Umuahia, nullifying section 84(12) of the Electoral Act.

The resolution was reached after a debate at today’s plenary.

The resolution followed a motion titled: “Urgent need to appeal judgement of the Federal High Court Umuahia on suit no FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 on Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.”

The motion was sponsored by Senator George Sekibo (Rivers East) and co-sponsored by 80 other lawmakers.

Recall that Justice Evelyn Anyadike, in a judgment, held that the Section of the Act was “unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever”, adding that it cannot stand when it is in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution.

Consequently, the court ordered the Attorney General of the Federation to “forthwith delete the said Subsection 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act.”

Justice Anyadike in the Suit FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 held that Sections 66(1), 107(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election.

According to her, any other law that mandates such appointees to resign or leave the office at any time before that was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null and void to the extent of its inconsistency with the clear provisions of the Constitution.

Some of the President’s ministers who are said to be planning to run for different offices include the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who is said to be eyeing the Kebbi State governorship seat; the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who is believed to be planning to contest the governorship of Katsina State; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who is rumoured to be eyeing the Presidency.

Others who are said to have political ambitions include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige; the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; and a few others.

However, coming under order 42 of the Senate Standing Orders on Personal Explanation, Senator George Thompson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) during Tuesday’s plenary, challenged the judgment of the court on Section 84(12).

Citing Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended, Sekibo stated that the National Assembly is empowered by virtue of Its provisions to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Nigeria.

He added that Section 228 lists such functions to include making laws to ensure internal democracy within political parties.

The section provides in part that, “the National Assembly may by law provide guidelines and rules to ensure internal democracy within political parties, including making laws for the conduct of party primaries, party congresses and party conventions; and the conferment on the Independent National Electoral Commission of powers as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or desirable for the purpose of enabling the Commission more effectively to ensure that political parties observe the practices of internal democracy, including the fair and transparent conduct of party primaries, party congresses and party conventions.”

He argued further that the provisions of Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution clearly defines who a public servant is, without including political appointees.

“I don’t have anything against the judge, but Mr President, what is relied on in the judgment is not in tandem with the interpretation of the Constitution.

“The Constitution defines for us who is a civil servant and who is a public servant. It does not include political appointees.

“More so, Section 4 gives us the power to make good laws, and in our mind, any law we make here is good law.

“Section 228 gives us also the power to make certain laws to guard the Independent National Electoral Commission to effectively discharge its functions.

“We felt that Section 84(12) as enshrined in the Electoral Act assented to, is for the interest of the people and country.

“I don’t think that somebody should go to court without joining the Senate or the House of Representatives where this law emanated from, because we are the origin of the law before the President assented to it.

“If you think it is faulty, you either take us to court and make us part of that case. We did not know, we were not told and they just went there and got a judgment, destroying our work for over one year as no one here has the head to do any good thing,” Sekibo had said.

PUNCH

Politics

I’m Not Ready To Go Into The Gutters With Anyone – Makinde

Published

1 day ago

August 21, 2025

Editor

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, said he is not ready to “go low with anyone who decides to go into the gutters.”

He made this statement while addressing journalists shortly after the South-West zoning consultative summit of the Peoples Democratic Party, held in Lagos.

He said, “Personally, when people go low or go into the gutters, I don’t go with them. Some people are now going into the gutters. We will reach out to them. That is democracy.

“I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching.”

The governor added that despite challenges, recent elections had shown that the PDP remained a formidable force.

“In all our states, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead. In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second. It is an indication to us that if we continue to work hard, we can reclaim the confidence of Nigerians,” he said.

When asked about discussions on zoning of the PDP presidential ticket to the South, Makinde said the party was not yet at that stage.

“We haven’t even gotten there. We need to have a party first before you start talking about presidential candidates. If we don’t have a party, anything you are trying to do will fall flat.

“Our efforts right now are directed towards having a vibrant and united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and believe in again,” he said.

Dignitaries at the meeting include the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the party’s National Zoning Committee and Bayelsa state governor, Douye Diri; Governors Ademola Adeleke of Osun state, Peter Mba of Enugu State, represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai; former Osun Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Bode George; and Monsurat Sunmonu.

Others were 12 of the 17 PDP National Assembly members and key stakeholders of the party from across the southern states.

Politics

2027 Presidency: Idahosa Reiterates Okpebholo’s Promises Of Delivering Edo To Tinubu

Published

3 days ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa on Tuesday reiterated the promise of Governor Monday Okpebholo of delivering the state to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

The deputy said that the just concluded by-elections in the state was an affirmation of that promised made by his principal.

Idahosa stated this in a press statement sogned by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Friday Aghedo, and made available to newsmen.

He said Okpebholo did not just make the promise of delivery the state to the APC, but that Edo will secure 2.5m votes for the President in 2027.

He commended the leadership of the party across Ovia federal constituency for their providing the leadership that made a APC victorious on Saturday.

He, however, noted that there was more room for improvement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, “after the victory, we called the leadership of the Ovia federal constituency to review and evaluate our performance at the poll, to observe areas where we need to work on next time.

“The bye-election was a litmus test for the 2027 presidential election. We are fully ready.”

Idahosa also used the opportunity to sensitize the people on the ongoing continuous voters registration and revalidation process by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He also reeled out measures in place by the party to get new registered members for the exercise when commenced on Monday.

“We are going to constitute subcommittees to mobilize people who have not yet registered to enable us actualize on the promised votes to the president,” he said.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives member elect, Omosede Igbinedion, promised to deliver on her campaign promises to the people.

“Ovia Federal Constituency should expect nothing but the best, in terms of representation and also in terms of developmental strides.

“We will come through, in anything we can do, from the federal level to complement the governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and the tremendous work he is doing at the state.

“Ovia is looking very bright. The deputy governor, Dennis Idahosa, has laid a good foundation we will build upon that foundation,” she said.

Politics

APC Disowns Members Calling For State Secretary’s Resignation

Published

4 days ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State has urged members of the public to disregard those calling for the resignation of the state secretary, Engr. Lawrence Okah, saying they are not members of the party.

Recall that a group named Oredo Local Government All Progressives Congress Concerned Group had yesterday, Monday August 18, 2025, during a press conference, called for the resignation of the state secretary of the party over alleged marginalisation.

The group, led by its coordinator, Osamuyi Osadiaye had during the press conference alleged that Okah had arrogated all political positions allocated to Oredo LG to his Ward 7, thereby making the remaining 11 wards in the local government area irrelevant.

But in a swift reaction in a statement made available to INFO DAILY, Osamudiamen Osarenkhoe and Magdalene Isekhure, Oredo APC Chairman and Secretary respectively, alleged that the people behind the call were sponsored by the opposition, insisting that they are not known to the APC in the local government.

The duo, while calling on the general public to disregard the call for the secretary’s resignation, noted that Okah is a “reputable party man who has put everything humanly and constitutionally possible to ensure that APC remains the party to beat in Edo state and Nigeria as a whole.”

The statement partly reads: “The leadership of APC in Oredo Local Government area views the activities of those involved in the illicit campaign as one that is sponsored by opposition political parties.

“Firstly, the group members connected to the media statement coordinated by one Osamuyi Osadiaye are not known members of the APC in Oredo Local Government Area.

“They are impostors and interlopers trying to create trouble in the local government chapter of the APC.

“Members of the public are hereby called upon to disregard the Press statement in its entirety as everything said by the fake APC members are all lies from the pit of hell.”