Prof. Itse Sagay
Prof. Itse Sagay
A SUMMARY OF MY REVIEW OF THE SUPREME COURT DECISION
IN THE RIVERS STATE GOVERNORSHIP CASE ENTITLED: “A FAREWELL TO ELECTION PETITIONS”.
Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN.
In this summary, I make comment on the important issues raised by the Supreme Court in that case.
1. On Card Reader
The Supreme Court, in rejecting the use of the Card Reader adopted its earlier views on the matter in Okerekev. Umahi S.C. 1004/2015, that the use of the Card Reader would ‘dethrone’ and ‘depose’ the Voters’ Register “whose judicial roots are firmly embedded or entrenched in the self same Electoral Act from which it (Voters’ Register) directly derives its sustenance and currency” – per Nweze, JSC.
The question may be asked, how does the Card Reader ‘depose’, or ‘dethrone’ the voter’s Register. After verification by the Card Reader, the voter’s name still has to be identified in the voters’ Register and ticked before he can vote. It must be noted that both the Tribunal and Court of Appeal emphasized that, the Card Reader was intended to and did strengthen the application and efficacy of the Electoral Act, by ensuring a credible election for the benefit of Nigerians. The Election Tribunal stated expressly that “the usage of the Card Reader was complimentary to the usage of the voters’ register. In other words, the two work hand in hand towards ensuring credible elections. The voters’ Registers properly come to play where a prospective voter has been screened by the Card Reader. The sum total of the role of the Card Reader is that it is complimentary to the usage of the Voters’ Register.”
So where in all this did Nweze, JSC, discover the ‘deposition’, and ‘dethronement’, of the Voters’ Register by the Card Reader? Absolutely nowhere. What …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
