Youth leaders across the six geo-political zones of the country have said the inclusion of Section 84 (12) in the Electoral Act is an avenue to witch-hunt appointees of government.
A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State, had on Friday quashed the section barring government’s appointees from participating in the primaries while still holding their positions.
Based on the judgement, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had said the section will be expunged.
In a statement made available in Abuja, the youth leaders, under the aegis of the Nigerian Ethnic Youth Leaders (NEYLC) maintained that the section was not in the interest of country.
The NEYLC is made up of the Arewa Consultative Youths Movement (ACYM), Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Movement (ONYM), Oduduwa Youths Movement (OYM) and Middle Belt Youths (MBY).
The statement signed by the Ohanaeze Secretary-General and Head of Coalition’s Secretariat, Nwada Ike Chiamaka, said it was clear from the beginning that the controversial section was conceived to witch hunt appointees of government.
The groups, however, hailed the courage of the Federal High Court which nullified the section in the newly-signed amended Electoral Act.
The statement partly read, “We cannot but commend the courage of the court in delivering such a sound judgment that we believe will stand the test of time.
“We knew from the beginning that the section was deliberately inserted to witch-hunt appointees of government.
“We, therefore, hope that this judgment has put a stop to that injustice and that the political space is now widened to accommodate as many qualified and interested Nigerians.”
