Election Re-ordering: Legal fireworks rage as Malami attacks NASS

Malamu said on Tuesday that the NASS is forcing the judiciary to support its move to re-order the sequence for the 2019 general election.

The angry AGF, who was sued as the 2nd defendant in the matter, urged the court not to allow itself to be intimidated as his office would support the judiciary to discharge its constitutional duties.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the parties to the case to maintain the status quo.

The AGF’s outburst came after counsel to NASS, which is the 1st defendant in the matter, drew attention of the judge to the furore he said the preservative order the court made on March 14, generated in both national and international media.

J.B. Daudu insisted that the court order, which stopped the NASS from taking further action on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 which President Muhammadu Buhari declined to assent to, “has once again placed the judiciary in the eye of the storm.”

Dauadu was responding to counsel to the plaintiff, Wole Olanipekun, who pointed out that decision of the court has been grossly misunderstood.

 “What happened in this court on March 14 was that though the plaintiff’s counsel applied for a preservative order in form of some injunctive reliefs, the court, in its wisdom, simply ruled and held that parties should maintain status quo antebellum,’ said Olanipekun

“Unfortunately my lord, this has been misinterpreted in diverse and several quarters, including the 1st defendant, as the court preventing it from carrying out its legislative duties.”

INEC’s counsel Femi Falana said there is need for the matter to be granted accelerated hearing, urging Justice Mohammed to ignore developments outside  the court proceedings.