Senate to write CJN on court judgement on Electoral Act

The Senate on Thursday agreed to write the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on the issue of court judgement restraining the National Assembly from proceeding with the Amendment of the Electoral Act.
The lawmakers, who kicked against the court judgement restraining the National Assembly from taking further action on the matter, resolved to inform the CJN on the issue of separation of powers in the Constitution.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had on Wednesday restrained the National Assembly and other parties in a suit challenging the legitimacy of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018, from acting on the Bill pending the next hearing on the matter.
However, raising a point of order on the court judgement, the Minority leader of the Senate, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, who cited order 42 and 52 on the issue, expressed dissatisfaction with the restraining order from the court on the Electoral Act, barring the National Assembly from taking further action on matter.
According to Akpabio: “The issue is on the due process and separation of power, which is of concern, and I believe strongly that the court has no power on this issue.”
Supporting the position of Akpabio, the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, said the matter at stake has not required the court intervention because this is the working of democracy.
Lawan said: “I agree completely with the fact that there is separation of power in different levels.
“The matter at stake does not require court intervention because this is the working of democracy.”
In his remarks to the point of order, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who expressed dissatisfaction with the interference of court in the matter, resolved to liaise with the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria on the issue.
According to Saraki: “We all are very clear on this issue that there are separation of powers.
“We have responsibilities and the judiciary has its own.
“Everyone must work to fulfill the mandate of their responsibilities.
“We should liaise with the Office of the CJN on this issue.”