Court bars use of soldiers during forthcoming election

A Federal High Court in Lagos has barred the Federal Government from deploring soldiers to supervise the forthcoming general elections.

The court ruled that the Nigerian Armed Forces have no role in the conduct of elections in the country stating that it was a violation of Section 217(2)(c) of the Constitution and Section 1 of the Armed Forces Act.


Delivering his judgment, Justice Ibrahim Buba said it was unconstitutional to deploy military for the supervision of election purposes without the approval of the national assembly.

The court relied on a recent Court of Appeal ruling that barred the use of soldiers in the conduct of elections.

The suit was filed by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, a member of the House of Reps representing Surulere Federal Constituency 2 on the platform of the APC against the President, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief Of Army, Chief of Air Force, Chief of Naval Staff and Attorney General of Federation.

The latest ruling says the Nigerian government should not deploy soldiers at polling units, a plan that had generated controversy between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be conducting Nigeria’s presidential election on Saturday March 28 after it was re-scheduled due to security reasons.

Credit: TV360