₦airaland Forum

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ruled that statutory delegates are constitutionally qualified to participate in all meetings, congresses and conventions of any registered political party in Nigeria.

Sen. Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa, Hon. Habibu Sani and Hon. Bilyaminu Yusuf Shin’Kafi, (all aspirants of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) at the just concluded National Assembly primaries, had filed a suit challenging the disenfranchisement of statutory delegates from participating at the primaries.

The suit marked FHC/KN/CS/13712022, has the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; National Chairman of APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

The plaintiffs in their originating summons dated 23rd
May, 2022 and filed on the 24th May, 2022, prayed the court for a declaration of the Court, “that section 84( cannot be interpreted to have excluded statutory delegates from voting at the convention, congress or meeting by virtue of section 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 20(iv)(c) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Constitution, which allow Statutory Delegation to vote at
convention, congress or meeting”.

The 2nd defendant, Adamu, filed a counter affidavit in opposition to the originating summons dated 1st June, 2022.

But the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants did not file any process in the suit.

Delivering judgment on the suit on Friday, 3rd June, 2022, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice A.M Liman, held that, “Section 84( cannot be interpreted to have excluded statutory delegates from voting at the convention, congress or meeting, by virtue of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 20(iv)(c) of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Constitution, which allow Statutory Delegation to vote at
convention, congress or meeting.”

The implication of this judgment means all the statutory delegates of each political parties shall participate in the subsequent Congresses and conventions, especially, the forthcoming national convention if the APC.

Statutory delegates in this context include, ward, local government, state and national executives of the party, including past executives, as the guidelines of the party deem fit.

Others include, the President, Vice President, former Presidents, former vice Presidents who are members of the party; Governors, deputy Governors, former Governors, former deputy Governors, Council Chairmen, serving Councilors and past Council chairman who are members of the party, as may be decided by party guidelines.

Those captured in the statutory delegates cadre also also include, serving and past members of the National Assembly of the party; though ministers, commissioners, supervisory councillors and other political appointees are excluded in the newly signed Electoral Act.

Ttalk:
This is getting interesting

Ttalk:
This is getting interesting

JAMO84:
The Asiwaju mandate ministry is moving forward

omoredia:
It's Showtime

vicdom:
Nothing is moving. The judgement is a mere academic exercise. The 7days ultimatum has expired for submission of the list of delegates to the INEC.

PlanetA:
post=113446988]Hmmm

mighty2:
We dey watch patiently how things dey unfold.... On jagaban's mandate i stand

vicdom:
This judgement is a mere academic exercise, because the event of the past has taken over the judgement already.

APC had already forwarded the list of delegates that will vote in the primary.

According to our electoral law, all political parties shall submit the list of delegates that will vote in any convention, not later than 7 days before the stipulated date.