A member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Ugochukwu Uchenwa, has initiated a suit against the Federal Government at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, asking it for an order to stop conduct of the 2023 general elections.
The plaintiff, who is also an elder in the ministry, told the court that the election fixed for Saturday, February 25, infringes on their freedom of worship.
Accordingly, he prayed the court to declare the day unconstitutional or in the alternative, (Nigerians) should be allowed to vote or write examinations on any day of the week.
Defendants in the suit are President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney-General of the Federation, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Minister of Interior, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Examinations Council (NECO), West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Business and Technical Examination Board (NBTEB).
When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to the applicant, Benjamin Amaefule, informed the court that all the defendants had been served with the court process except NECO.
According to him, he was at a loss as to why the defendants were not in court.
The judge, therefore, adjourned the case to March 15, 2023 for hearing.
In the originating summon, the plaintiff is praying the court for a declaration that the schedule of elections in Nigeria by the respondents on Saturdays, the ‘Sabbath Day’ is a violation of fundamental rights of freedom of (a) Conscience, profession and free practice of faith and (b) Right to participate freely In the government of the applicant and that of the entire members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Nigeria.
