The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Wednesday struck down a section of the newly-amended Electoral Act, deciding that political appointees should be allowed to remain in office until 30 days before general elections as stipulated by the Constitution.
Section 84(12) was passed by the parliament and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this year. It blocked political appointees from contesting primaries while in office.
But a three-member panel of the Appeal Court said the amendment was unconstitutional because it was contrary to Section 42 of the Constitution which allows appointees to remain in office until 30 days before election day.
