Group Wants Court to Disqualify Buhari in 2019 Elections

A non-governmental organisation, Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, yesterday approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from including President Muhammadu Buhari’s name in the 2019 presidential ballot paper.

The group, in its suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1228/2018, averred that Buhari was not validly nominated by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in accordance with provisions of the Section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act.

President Buhari was cited as the 1st Defendant in the matter, while office of the President, the Attorney General of the Federation, the APC and INEC were sued as 2nd to 4th Defendants.

The Plaintiff, through its lawyer, Mr. Okere Nnamdi, urged the court to determine “whether having regard to the express provisions of Section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) the expression of interest and nomination forms, purchased by a group named Nigerian Consolidation Ambassadors Network and donated to Buhari, and which he accepted, completed and submitted to the INEC, is invalid, unconstitutional and illegal.

The group also want the court to resolve that having regard to the clear provisions, spirit and tenor of section 91 (9) of the Electoral Act 2010, the nomination, selection and submission of Buhari’s name to INEC as the Presidential Candidate of APC for the 2019 Presidential Election is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. And “whether in view of questions 1 and 2 determined above, APC has a validly nominated Presidential Candidate for the 2019 Presidential Election.”