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Bill To Make Appeal Court Final Arbiter In Governorship Election Disputes Passes 2nd Reading
By Gloria Ikibah
A bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to make the Court of Appeal the final court in disputes involving governorship, and National and State Houses of Assembly elections in Nigeria has passed second in the House of Representatives on Tuesday at plenary.
The bill sponsored by Rep. Nnamdi Ezechi, member representing Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwani Federal Constituency of Delta State, seeks to delete some sections of the Constitution.
Debating the general principles of the bill, Rep. Ezechi said the proposed legislation seeks to alter the provision of sub-section (3) of Section 246 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The bill seeks to delete the existing subsection (3) and substitute a new subsection (3) to read “The decisions of the Court of Appeal in respect of appeals arising from the Governorship, National and State Houses of Assembly election Petitions shall be final.”
“Mr Speaker, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Second Alteration) Act of 2010 altered section 246 subsection (1) by providing in paragraphs (b) and (c) that appeals to the Court of Appeal shall be as of right from the decisions of the National and State Houses of Assembly and decisions of the Governorship Election Tribunals as to whether a person has been validly elected as a lawmaker or a governor or whether his tenure has ceased or his seat has become vacant.
“The Second alteration specifically provided in section 246 subsection (3) that the decisions of the Court of Appeal arising from the National and State Houses of Assembly election petition shall be final.
“However, the amendment did not say anything about the Governorship Election Petition thereby allowing all governorship election petitions to proceed to the apex Court (Supreme Court).
“This bill is trying to amend the present provision of Section 246 subsection (3) by making the Court of Appeal the final appeal Court for all election petitions”, he said.
According to the lawmakers, “This would enable the final winner of a governorship election to be known without delay. If the person declared as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission wins in the Court of Appeal, it would allow him to settle down and face the business of governance without distraction.”
He also noted that terminating election disputes at the appellate court would save cost, saying, “If such petitions end in the Court of Appeal, it would reduce the financial resources being wasted by the parties in prosecuting such cases to the Supreme Court.”
He continued, “We should note that the original provision of Section 246 (1)(b) stated that an appeal shall lie as of right from the decisions of the National Assembly Election Tribunals and Governorship and Legislative Houses Tribunals on the issues mentioned above.
“Subsection (3) of the said section clearly stated that the decisions of the Court of Appeal in respect of appeals arising from election petitions shall be final.”
Following its adoption, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu for further legislative actions.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The president of Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Mrs S.M Akintayo, has adjourned a divorce suit brought before it by a man, Kasali, against his wife, Ajoke, on the account of irreconcilable differences.
Kasali stated that he and Ajoke never had a traditional wedding, but that she moved into his house shortly after they met.
Kasali added that he refused to pay Ajoke’s bride price because she was no longer a virgin by the time they met
The plaintiff insisted on divorce because according to him, no meaningful communication ever held between him and his wife.
Kasali stated that he and Ajoke did not understand each other which was the reason for their regular fight.
Kasali further stated that Ajoke was already dating another man which made it imperative that the relationship between him and her be brought to an end.
Ajoke was not in court, although she was served court summonses.
Kasali, in his evidence, said, “My wife moved into my house shortly after we met.
“We never held any marital rites.
“I refused to pay her bride price when her parents insisted on having it because she is not a virgin.
My lord, living with my wife was an error.
“We never understood each other and hardly agreed on any issue.
“We lived like cat and dog; shouting at each other and nagging.
“There was communication breakdown in our relationship.
I heaved a sigh of relief the day she moved out of my house.
“I came to court to end our marriage. This I believe is necessary because she has started dating another man.”
(TRIBUNE)
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A Shari’a court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, has dissolved the union between Yusuf Faruq and Kafayat Hamza after the latter paid N200,000 to redeem herself from the marriage.
The judge, Malam Kabir Muhammad stated that a wife has the right to redeem herself from a marriage by returning the dowry she received from her husband.
He explained that the dowry refunded could be the exact amount she received or less. She added that it could even be more than the initial amount.
The complainant earlier prayed the court to dissolve her union with her husband through Khul’i (redemption), expressing her readiness to return the N6,000 dowry she received from him.
The defendant, however, stated that he would only accept N200,000, which the complainant agreed to pay.
United States President, Donald Trump has opened up that Tech billionaire Elon Musk has never asked him for a favour or anything.
Trump made the claim in the Oval Office on Wednesday when asked by a reporter if Musk is advising him on auto tariffs.
“No, because he may have a conflict, so we don’t talk. I have never talked to him. Elon’s amazing,” Trump responded.
“He’s never asked me for a favour in business whatsoever. I’m actually a little surprised by it. I might do it, I might not do it.
“I do what’s right, and he’d want me to do what’s right. No, he is a patriot.
“He has never, you know, these are big deals we’re talking about.
“This is probably nothing like this, and I have never had Elon come and say, Would you do me a favor with a mandate or the electric mandate or anything? He’s never asked me for anything.”
Trump’s latest automobile tariffs are expected to take effect from April 2, 2025.
Despite the eternal outrage, American workers and Democrats have backed Trump’s auto tariffs.
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