An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday did not lift its order barring the National Assembly from overriding President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
The court presided over by Ahmed Mohammed had, at its previous sitting, stopped the National Assembly from proceeding with implementation of Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which allows lawmakers to override the president in the process of signing a bill into law.
According to Premium Times, the restraining order followed an application by counsel to Accord Party, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who is asking the court to stop the lawmakers from tampering with the Electoral Act.
At the resumed hearing, yesterday, an Abuja-based lawyer, Okere Kingdom, informed the court of his decision to join in the matter.
In an attempt to persuade the court to entertain his appeal, Kingdom said he was filing the motion on behalf of ‘a political party’ and thus reserves a right to be heard, since the decision of the court would adversely affect his party’s position in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
Kingdom said the rules of the court allowed him to be joined, if he wished to do so.
Other parties to the matter, however, opposed the application in its entirety.
After standing down the matter for about an hour, Justice Mohammed refused the application by Mr. Kingdom.
The court then adjourned the matter till March 26, without proceeding with hearing into the substantive matter.