Senate to strip State High Court from entertaining pre-election matters

A bill for an amendment of the 1999 Constitution to preclude the High Court of a State from entertaining pre-election disputes emanating from congresses, conferences, conventions or other meetings convened by political parties for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees or other governing bodies passed Second Reading yesterday in the Red Chamber.

The amendment, sponsored by Senator representing Delta central and Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo Agege, was referred to Senate ad-hoc Committee on Review of 1999 Constitution.

Incidentally, sponsor of the amendment is the Chairman of the Committee.

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The amendment reads in part:” The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (in this Act referred to as “the Principal Act”) is altered as set out in this Act.

“Alteration of Section 272.

“Section 272 of the Principal Act is further altered by inserting after subsection (3), a new subsection “(4)” –

“Nothing in this section shall empower the High Court of a State to entertain a dispute from a member of a political party challenging the actions or decisions of a political party in respect of the election of a principal officer or member of its executive committee or other governing body following from a congress, conference, convention or other meeting convened by that political party for the purpose of electing such principal officers or members.”

“This Act may be cited as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(Fifth Alteration, No. 29) Act, 2020.”