… As Kolapo asked Nigerians and other members of the party to ignore Ngige.
By Chris Udochukwu
Abuja (Precise Post) – The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof Itse Sagay, has said it would be better for aspirants to resign ahead of party primaries to avoid any controversy.
He however said that as at today, there was no need for political appointees to resign before party primaries since a Federal High Court had nullified Section 84(10) of the Electoral Act.
Sagay noted that the court was right to do so as the section contravened the provisions of the constitution, which only mandates public officers to resign 30 days to general elections.
He argued that as long as the court judgment had not been overturned, the current status of the law allowed appointees to contest without resigning.
The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee, however, said it would be better for aspirants to resign ahead of the primaries to avoid any controversy.
He added, “Only one court has interpreted this law and has declared it null and void. So, as things stand, anyone who wants to contest does not need to resign ahead of the primaries.
The constitution states that any public officer who wants to contest must resign 30 days to the main election. This Section 84 of the Electoral Act in itself is an attempt to amend the constitution.
“Until the current judgment is reversed by a higher court, the judgment stands.
However, it is better for anyone willing to contest to resign now since you don’t know how the Supreme Court will rule.”
Similarly, a member of the All Progressives Congress, Kolapo has asked Nigerians and other members of the party to ignore the comments credited to the minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige.
NgIge was quoted to have said that the APC has zoned it’s presidential ticket to the south.
She said, “There is no iota of truth in such a claim as made by the minister. The party did not say anything like that. Such a claim should be ignored.
“The National Executive Committee of the APC is meeting on Wednesday. After the meeting, the party will start selling forms. There are those who are afraid of the popularity of the governor, and they are doing so by claiming so many things. But I’m sure that the APC is interested in who is going to win the election for it. The person is Bello.”
Currently, no fewer than 10 states have directed cabinet members and other political appointees, who plan to contest in the 2023 polls, to resign despite the ongoing legal battle on the clause of the Electoral Act.
Consequently, commissioners and other appointees have begun turning in their resignation letters in Kaduna, Ogun, Plateau, Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers, Delta, Imo and Akwa Ibom states, among others.
Federal political appointees include 43 ministers, special advisers, senior special assistants, special assistants and heads of government agencies.
Sagay noted that the court was right to do so as the section contravened the provisions of the constitution, which only mandates public officers to resign 30 days to general elections.
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