Former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described the ruling of the Supreme Court on section 84, sub-section 12 of the 2022 Electoral Act, as a mark of independence of the Judiciary, which he envisages.
Newsonline reports that Atiku Abubakar said this while reacting to Friday’s ruling against President Buhari and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami versus National Assembly.
Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party stated that under his administration the separation of powers of the arms of the government will be respected.
President Buhari and Malami had on April 29, dragged the National Assembly to the Supreme Court over section 84, sub-section 12 of the 2022 electoral Act, arguing that it is in conflict with provisions of the constitution.
Section 84 (12) of the Act states that “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the convention or congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.”
In a counter-affidavit filed by the parliament, the lawmakers argued that the constitution empowers them to make laws, and therefore, urged the Apex Court to strike out the suit instituted by President Buhari and AGF.
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The Supreme Court, in its ruling on Friday, ruled that the request by President Buhari to the National Assembly to delete Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act amounts to an abuse of the judicial process.
The Supreme Court, therefore, struck out the request of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney General, Abubakar Malami.
Reacting to the Friday ruling, Atiku Abubakar, said, “The ruling of the Supreme Court on Section 84 (12) is commendable. It affirms my position on the independence of the judiciary and the other arms of government, namely the legislature and the executive, which is the bedrock for the development of any nation.
“Under no circumstance must one arm lord over another arm of government.”
