Independent candidacy: ECOWAS Court to rule in suit against Nigeria
The ECOWAS Courtroom has fastened July 3, 2023 for judgment in a case brought by two non-governmental organisations towards the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The NGOs need the government held responsible for the violation of their rights over the prolong within the passage of the bill that may allow honest candidates to contest elections.
They’re Incorporated Trustees of Prince & Princess Charles Offokaja Foundation (Nigeria), and Incorporated Trustees of Prince & Princess Charles Offokaja Foundation (Switzerland).
At the listening to this week, Justice Dupe Atoki announced the adjournment after noting that both occasions had filed all their submissions/pleadings.
The lawyer representing the Nigerian government was once absent at some level of the session; it is unclear why the counsel didn’t expose up.
The NGOs, in suit quantity ECW/CCJ/APP/39/22 filed on September 12, 2022, alleged the violation of their real to freedom of expression.
They said Command Assemblies didn’t enact resolutions required for the passage of the bill for the length of the timeline, August 2022, as promised by a senior government official.
The candidates extra recalled one more observation by a government spokesperson who assured the structure amendment would give ability for honest candidates.
The suit relied on Articles 1, 9(1) and 9(2) of the African Structure on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Articles 2 and 19(2) of the Global Convention on Civil and Political Rights.
The NGOs, all for human rights promotion and publications, advise Nigeria has an obligation following documented statements made by its officers.
The litigants need the ECOWAS Courtroom to show that Command Assemblies have the duty to reject or approve the structure amendment.
The bill proposed on honest candidacy, proposed by the National Assembly, has been with the Properties of Assembly since March 2022.
The organisations moreover prayed the court to command the Nigerian government to right away implement honest candidacy for all future elections.
On the panel alongside the presiding notify, Justice Atoki, had been Justices Sengu Mohamed Koroma and Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves.
