We Are Not Aware Of Any Court Judgement On Section 84(12) – NASS

The Senate said on Friday that it was not aware of any court judgment which struck out the controversial Section 84 (12) from the newly amended Electoral Act 2022.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Dr. Ajibola Basiru, stated this while responding to a question put to him on the matter by THISDAY in Abuja.

The Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, had earlier on Friday, ordered that Section 84 (12) should be deleted from the newly amended Electoral Act 2022.

President Muhammadu Buhari had penultimate week, written to the National Assembly, urging it to delete the controversial section by a way of amendment.

The two chambers of the federal parliament refused the president’s request by voting against it.

However, the court in a judgment delivered by Justice Evelyn Anyadike, held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

The judge said it ought to be struck down as it could not stand since, “it is in violation of the clear provisions of the constitution”.

The Senate spokesperson insisted that he would not react to a story read in the media.

Basiru said he would only react when a copy of the verdict is served on the National Assembly.

The senator said: “I’m not aware of the suit and whether the National Assembly was a party or was served and/or represented.

“I have also not seen or read the judgment or whether the National Assembly has been served with the judgment or any order of court.

“I cannot react to newspaper reports of court judgment without seeing the actual court judgment.”

President Buhari had, while signing the amended Electoral Act, urged the National Assembly to delete the provision.

He said it violated the constitution and breached the rights of government appointees.

The president thereafter wrote a letter to both chambers of the National Assembly seeking an amendment by way of deleting the provision.

The proposed amendment was rejected in plenary by the two chambers.