Electoral Act: Malami Reacts To Judgement Ordering Removal Of Section 84(12)

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has reacted to the court ruling directing him to delete Section 84 (12) of the amended Electoral Act.

Naija News earlier reported that the Federal High Court sitting in Umahia, Abia State on Friday directed the minister to delete the controversial section of the amended Electoral Act.

The presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike ruled that the section is unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

She ordered that the clause should be struck down as it cannot stand when it is in violation of the clear provisions of the constitution.

Malami reacting to the development in a statement signed by his media aide, Umar Gwandu, promised to comply with the court ruling and delete the section from the signed electoral act.

The minister added that the court judgment will be recognized by the Government printers in printing the Electoral Act, adding that the act will be gazetted accordingly.

The statement read: “The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will accordingly give effect to the Court judgment in line with the dictates of the law and the spirit of the judgment.”

“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 make 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.”