Civil society group challenges Electoral Act clauses on party disputes in court
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The Registered Trustees of Constitutional and Democratic Justice Initiative, a civil society organization, has filed a lawsuit against the National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Attorney General of the Federation. The suit, lodged at the Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, seeks to nullify Sections 835 and 866b of the Electoral Act, 2026. The organization argues that these provisions are unconstitutional because they allegedly remove the jurisdiction of courts in matters concerning the internal affairs of political parties. Professor A. O. Sambo, the organization's Director, stated that the National Assembly exceeded its constitutional authority by enacting these provisions, which he claims violate Sections 48 and 6 of the Constitution. Sambo emphasized that the National Assembly cannot legislate to prevent courts from addressing electoral justice issues related to political party internal affairs. He further noted that these provisions, if upheld, would deny aggrieved political party members access to justice before the 2027 general elections. The case is scheduled for hearing on July 8.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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