Spokesman: Reps not served notice as party to court case on electoral act

The house of representatives has disclosed that it was not served a notice as being a party to a court case on the Electoral Act 2022.

This was made known on Friday by spokesperson of the house, Benjamin Kalu while addressing journalists.

A federal high court in Umuahia, Abia state on Friday directed the attorney-general of the federation to delete section 84(12) of the amended electoral act.

Evelyn Anyadike, the presiding judge, held that the section was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and cannot stand.

Anyadike ruled that sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f), 137(1)(f) and 182(1)(f) of the 1999 constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election.

President Muhammadu Buhari had signed the electoral act amendment bill on February 25, and asked the national assembly to expunge section 84(12) of the act, on the grounds that the provision disenfranchises serving political officers.

However, the senate rejected the president’s request, while the house of representatives had yet to take a decision on it.