Nigerian Court Clears President Jonathan To Contest 2015 Presidential Election
A Federal High Court in Kaduna on Monday struck out a suit seeking to restrain President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking re-election in the 2...
http://www.africaeagle.com/2014/03/nigerian-court-clears-president.html
A Federal High Court in Kaduna on Monday struck out a suit seeking to restrain President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking re-election in the 2015 general elections brought before it by two leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The plaintiffs, Richard Mneaga, and Shuaibu Lill had sought for, among other prayers, an order of the court to disqualify Jonathan from presenting himself as a presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2015 election, and for the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restrain the PDP from accepting nomination of Jonathan as its presidential candidate in the 2015 election.
In the suit, filed on October 7, 2013, they insisted that Jonathan had completed eight years in office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria calculated from May 29, 2007.
The plaintiffs also sought for “a declaration that President Jonathan is not entitled to tenure of office as President exceeding eight years calculated from 2007, till last holder of the said office”.
Ruling on the case, the presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike said the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to drag President Jonathan to court based on section 308 of the Constitution which gives him immunity not to sue or be sued, and therefore affirmed that Jonathan has the constitutional right to contest for presidency in 2015 if he so desire.
She also said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter since the plaintiffs did not follow the due process of filing their case, saying the petition was served out of jurisdiction. She however dismissed the case for lack of merit.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Ibrahim, faulted the technicalities on which the judge relied to deliver her judgement instead of looking at the matter from its merit.
He, however, said they would proceed to the Appeal Court for further interpretation of the lower court judgement and also for the upper court to determine whether President Jonathan had the constitutional right to seek another term in office in 2015.
But Counsels to the first and second defendants, President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP, Nnamdi Ekwem and Victor Kwon respectively, hailed the judgment, describing it as another landmark victory for democracy and rule of law.
They faulted the petitioners for dragging Jonathan to court since he has not declared his intention to contest for the presidency in 2015.
In the suit, filed on October 7, 2013, they insisted that Jonathan had completed eight years in office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria calculated from May 29, 2007.
The plaintiffs also sought for “a declaration that President Jonathan is not entitled to tenure of office as President exceeding eight years calculated from 2007, till last holder of the said office”.
Ruling on the case, the presiding judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike said the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to drag President Jonathan to court based on section 308 of the Constitution which gives him immunity not to sue or be sued, and therefore affirmed that Jonathan has the constitutional right to contest for presidency in 2015 if he so desire.
She also said the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter since the plaintiffs did not follow the due process of filing their case, saying the petition was served out of jurisdiction. She however dismissed the case for lack of merit.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mohammed Ibrahim, faulted the technicalities on which the judge relied to deliver her judgement instead of looking at the matter from its merit.
He, however, said they would proceed to the Appeal Court for further interpretation of the lower court judgement and also for the upper court to determine whether President Jonathan had the constitutional right to seek another term in office in 2015.
But Counsels to the first and second defendants, President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP, Nnamdi Ekwem and Victor Kwon respectively, hailed the judgment, describing it as another landmark victory for democracy and rule of law.
They faulted the petitioners for dragging Jonathan to court since he has not declared his intention to contest for the presidency in 2015.
Hmmm. These whole theatrics reminds me of WWF and WWE. These are nothing but stage managed acts on the part of both PDP and everyone that does not really have a minute meaningful intention for Nigerians and Nigeria as a Country.
ReplyDeletePlease be all informed, no one is fooled by all these theatrics.
The decision for JEG not to contest in 2015 in this particular instance is purely an internal thing between JEG as an individual and those he has reached verbal or written understanding with within the party whose platform he wants to use in contesting for presidency in 2015.
If JEG feels he owes nobody any obligation based on either verbal or written understanding, then he his free by the constitution to look for another platform based on which he can exercise is constitutional rights QED.
It's really sickening the way majority of Nigerians in power and their cohorts demonstrate amazingly low aptitude in common logical thinking.
Hmmm. These whole theatrics reminds me of WWF and WWE.
ReplyDeleteIt's really sickening the way majority of Nigerians in power and their cohorts demonstrate amazingly low aptitude in common logical thinking.
These are nothing but stage managed acts on the part of both PDP and everyone that does not really have a minute meaningful intention for Nigerians and Nigeria as a Country.
Alas, no one is fooled by all these theatrics.
The decision for GEJ not to contest in 2015 in this particular case is purely an internal thing between GEJ and those he has reached verbal or written understanding with within the party whose platform he wants to use in contesting for Presidency in 2015.
If GEJ feels he owes nobody any obligation based on either verbal or written understanding, then he his free by the constitution to look for another platform based on which he can exercise is constitutional right, QED.
No one can compel Party Delegates to vote GEJ at the party convention. Not even a Court.