The joint National Assembly Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has proposed an amendment that will ensure that all election petitions are concluded before winners of such polls are sworn in.
The Nation reports that the National Assembly’s joint committee also recommended a 60-day period for the disposal of election petitions at the tribunal level and another 60 days for disposal of appeals arising from the judgment of the lower tribunal in all post-election matters.
By the recommendations, the Supreme Court is expected to assume original jurisdiction in all petitions arising from the conduct of the presidential elections, while appeals from the governorship elections are to end at the Court of Appeal.
These recommendations are contained in the 44 Bills harmonised and agreed upon by the joint committee and constitute the first batch of prioritised constitution alteration Bills presented at plenary of the Senate and the House of Representatives for debates.
The lawmakers proposed an amendment to Section 232 of the Constitution to provide that “the Supreme court shall, to the exclusion of any other court of law in Nigeria, have original jurisdiction to hear and determine any question as to whether (a) any person has been validly elected to the office of President or Vice President under this Constitution, (b) the term of office of the President or Vice President has ceased, or (c) the office of President or Vice President has become vacant”.
The amendment to the section also states: “In the hearing and determination of any election petition under subsection (1A), the Supreme Court shall be duly constituted if it consists of at least five Justices of the Supreme Court. In every Presidential election petition, the Supreme Court shall deliver its judgement in writing within 60 days of filing of the suit.”
