Politics
Presidency: Show reason Emefiele should not contest – Court orders INEC
Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday summoned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) before him, to show reason why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, should be stopped from contesting the 2023 presidential election.
Emefiele had through his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome SAN, prayed the court for an order of status quo ante bellum to be made against INEC and AGF so that he would not be made to resign from office until 30 days to the general election.
In an affidavit deposed on his behalf by Maliki Sylvanus, a senior counsel in the Mike Ozekhome Chambers, Emefiele, who had shied away from making a public declaration of his presidential ambition, prayed for a declaration that he is not bound to resign to participate in a primary election to select a presidential candidate.
RELIABLESOURCENG.COM reports that various interest groups have been mobilising to rally support for the Emefiele presidency in 2023.
The court, however, while not acceding to his request immediately, ordered the defendants, INEC and AGF, to appear before him on May 12 and show cause why the request should not be granted.
READ: I am humbled by interest for me to run for presidency – Emefiele
Emefiele said that he is not a political appointee but a public servant and therefore could not be compelled to resign in line with section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Section 84(12) of the act compels all political appointees seeking public offices to resign their appointments before contesting their parties’ primaries where they will be elected to contest the general elections.
The CBN Governor rather prayed the court to invoke section 318 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and bar the defendants from asking him to vacate office until 30 days to the Presidential election.
Whereas Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution deals with the issue of general elections, Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 deals with political parties’ primary elections.
