Court dismisses suit against INEC over April polls timetable.
A Federal High Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday dismissed a suit filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) challenging the legality of the timetable used for the conduct of April polls.
Chairman, National Action Council,Olapade Agoro had approached the court on Jan. 20 asking it to determine whether the timetable released by INEC on Nov. 23, 2010 for the elections was valid following the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.
He wanted the court to determine the validity of the timetable since the Electoral Act empowering it was still being amended by the National Assembly as of Dec. 10, 2010.
The amended sections of the constitution were signed into law on Jan. 10, 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Steven Adah held that the suit lacked merit and was incompetent.
He said it was the constitutional duty of INEC to fix the dates for the conduct of elections, adding that the suit had no locus standi and should be struck out.
Adah had on March 18 struck out an ex-parte motion filed by the NAC chairman asking it to restrain INEC from going ahead with the elections pending the determination of the suit.
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