2023 Elections: Court summons INEC, Attorney General over Emefiele’s Political Ambition

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja Nigeria has ordered  Nigeria’s Attorney General and the electoral umpire of the country to appear before it and show cause why the country’s Governor of Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele should not pursue his political ambition ahead of 2023 general elections.

Emefiele had through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome SAN, applied for an order of status quo ante bellum, that is ‘stay as you are’ to be made against INEC and the AGF so that he would not be made to resign from office until 30 days to the general election.

In an ex-parte application argued on Monday, Emefiele denied being a political appointee but a Public servant not caught by section 84 (12) of the new Electoral Act 2022.

The CBN governor asked the court to invoke section 318 of the 1999 Constitution to bar the defendants from asking him to vacate office until 30 days to the February 2023 Presidential election.

Emefiele expressed apprehension that sale and submission of Presidential nomination form would expire on Wednesday 11th of May 2022, and that unless the INEC and AGF are ordered to maintain status ante bellum as at May 5 when he filed the suit, he would be made to vacate office before his form would be accepted by the appropriate authority.

In a brief ruling, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed ordered that the defendants be put on notice and also serve court processes to them.

Justice Mohammed also ordered the defendants to appear before him on May 12 and show cause on why the request should not be granted.

Ime N