Electoral Act: Your Election Can Be Annulled – Gbajabiamila Tells Amaechi, Ngige, Malami To Resign

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has advised the Ministers under the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari seeking elective positions to resign.

The Speaker said their elections might be annulled if they refused to resign.

Recall that the Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his Labour counterpart, Chris Ngige have declared to run for the presidency under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Minister of State for Education, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, had purchased the N100 million of Presidential nomination forms under the APC.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had also declared interest in the governorship position of his home state of Kebbi.

As of today, none of the ministers has been resigning from their position.

Gbajabiamila made the call on Thursday while speaking to Channels Television in London on the sidelines of a paper he delivered at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House).

According to him, Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022, which stipulates that political appointees should resign before seeking political offices in the next election, should be obeyed.

“There was a reason for every law. And that particular provision had a reason behind it,” the lawmaker said. “It had mischief it sought to cure and we all know what that mischief is.”

While some appointees have followed the provision, he said others “remain obstinate for want of a better word and hide under the cover that there is a court decision that has nullified that provision.

“But then, there is also a court decision that said that nullification by the court should not be executed as of yet. Then, there has also been an appeal by the National Assembly to set it aside.

“So, invariably, it is a personal decision that they have to make.

“Therefore, the risk they run at the end of it all is if the court does find that the National Assembly was well within its rights to make such a provision that you are contesting an election while still a political appointee, then you are on a very serious risk of having your election bid annulled”.

READ ALSO: 

• How I Became Vice President — Prof Osinbajo

• Eid-el Fitr: FG Declares Monday, Tuesday As Public Holidays

Newsflash Nigeria is an online newspaper that is developed and written exclusively for Nigerians. It’s packed with up-to-the-minute Local and National Economy News, Share & Capital Market, Health, Sports, Education, Technology, Business and Opinions.

To make further advert enquiries or place an order, please contact us at [email protected] and +2348053316946 and WhatsApp number 08033546732