The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that sought to invalidate section 138 of the Electoral Act 2026, which removes candidate qualification as a basis for election petitions. The court ruled that section 138 is not in conflict with the 1999 Constitution and serves to complement it regarding qualifications for elective offices. Additionally, the NDC challenged section 77(5) of the Act, which restricts voting eligibility to those registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days before elections. Justice Muhammed Umar noted that the legality of section 77(5) had already been addressed by the Court of Appeal. The court also upheld a preliminary objection from the Clerk of the National Assembly regarding the NDC's failure to serve a pre-action notice, rendering the suit incompetent. Consequently, the court dismissed the case, reinforcing the legal framework governing the upcoming elections.
NigeriaNewsFeed summary based on reporting from Vanguard News.
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