ABUJA – Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), an Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has lauded the ruling of the Court of Appeal on President Goodluck Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the March 28 presidential election.
The court gave the ruling on March 3 in a suit brought by four citizens, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr Junaidu Mohammed, Mr Rasak Adeogun and Yahaya Ndu, challenging the eligibility of Jonathan to participate in the upcoming presidential poll.
The plaintiffs contended that the Constitution forbade the president from seeking election to the same position after having been sworn in to the post two times earlier.
The matter moved from the Abuja High Court to the Appeal Court where it was ruled that the president was qualified to contest in the race.
National Coordinator of HURIWA, Mr Emmanuel Onwubiko, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that the ruling of the court was a milestone in the country’s democracy.
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He said that the ‘’landmark decision’’ of the Appeal Court, Abuja, that Jonathan could seek re-election was right decision.
Onwubiko noted that Jonathan, who had only been sworn in as executive president of Nigeria once under the extant constitution, was qualified to seek re-election.
“We urge all parties in the matter to let the sleeping dog to lie and allow all presidential candidates to concentrate in their campaigns.
“I believe Nigerians will be in much educated and highly enlightened positions to elect their president.
“We think that the Appeal Court verdict is profoundly rich in elucidation and well thought out,’’ he said.
The coordinator also commended the military for their recent successes against the insurgency in the North-East.
“We in the organised civil society community with no clear cut affiliations to any political platform are happy with the recent strings of monumental military successes recorded,’’ he said. (NAN)
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