The All Progressive Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been dragged before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the fielding of presidential and vice president candidates of the party from the same religion.
A lawyer, Osigwe Momoh, in the suit is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from publishing the name of APC presidential candidate in the forthcoming coming elections for violation of the Nigeria Constitution.
The suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1188/2022 claimed that the decision to pick the party presidential flag bearer and the running mate from the same religion (section) violates the principle and the spirit of the Nigeria Constitution.
The plaintiff, in the originating summons, argued that political parties must, by virtue of chapter two of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), have their presidential and vice presidential candidate from different sectional (tribal and religious groups) of the nation.
He therefore seeks a declaration that “by virtue of Sections 14 (1) & (3), 15 and 224(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the defendants are bound by the principles of Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and having the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the same religion is unconstitutional and null and void.”
