Election Sequence: Court of Appeal Upholds N/Assembly’s Powers
A Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the powers of the National Assembly to make laws including the Bill amending election sequence.
The appellate court also dismissed the judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which on April 25 stopped the National Assembly from overiding the assent of the president in the Bill.
A four-member panel of justices presided by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa on Wednesday held that the decision of the trial court in delving into the matter amounted to a breach of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers.
She said that having not signed the Bill into law, it remains within the powers of the National Assembly as provided in Section 4(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which the court has no jurisdiction over.
The National Assembly in February passed an amendment that altered the sequence of elections in the country. With the amendment, the National Assembly election is to hold first, followed by gubernatorial and state assembly polls. The presidential election which usually comes first will now hold last.
