A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday ruled that the amendment of the National Assembly on the sequence of the 2019 general elections as an exercise in futility.
The National Assembly Committee on Electoral Act (amendment) bill had adopted a reordered sequence of the 2019 general election, putting the presidential election last, with the national assembly election coming first, followed by that governorship and state houses of assembly.
This is against the sequence rolled out by INEC, which put presidential and national assembly elections first and governorship and state assembly to follow.
President Buhari refused his assent to the bill after it was forwarded to his office, saying the amendments if allowed to pass violate parts of the constitution.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Ahmed Mohamed, on Wednesday nullified clause 25, section 15 of the Electoral Amendment Bill passed into law by the National Assembly reordering the sequence which was announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court also ruled that the 1999 constitution empowers INEC to organize and supervise elections including fixing dates and sequences, therefore, the National Assembly does not have the powers to over-ride the actions of INEC.
