Church Member Sues INEC For Fixing Elections On Saturdays

Church Member Sues INEC For Fixing Elections On Saturdays

The Federal High Court in Abuja set May 22 as the date for hearing a suit seeking to halt the conduct of elections and examinations on Saturdays.

The suit was filed by one Ugochukwu Uchenwa, who claimed to be a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which considers Saturday to be a “sabbath day” reserved solely for God’s worship.

The President, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Minister of Internal Affairs are named as defendants in the suit.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Examination Council, the West African Examination Council, and the National Business and Technical Examination Board were also named as defendants.

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The plaintiff is requesting an order prohibiting the fifth through eighth respondents from scheduling and conducting compulsory public examinations on Saturdays without providing an option for Seventh-day Adventist Church members to take their exams on days other than Saturdays.

During the proceedings on Wednesday, Justice James Omotosho granted the President and the AGF permission to regularize their counter-suit processes.

The plaintiff, represented by Benjamin Amaefule, claims that holding elections and examinations on Saturdays violated his fundamental right to religious freedom as a citizen and member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

He said, “It is a violation of conscience, profession and free practice of faith and right to participate freely in the government of the applicant and that of entire members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Nigeria.

“It is also a violation of the right to freedom of education of the applicant and the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Nigeria.”

As a result, he is asking the court to rule that holding elections and exams on Saturdays is unconstitutional.

Alternatively, the plaintiff requests that the court order the defendants to allow him and other church members to vote or take exams on any other day of the week, including Sundays.

The plaintiff is asking the court to stop INEC from violating the rights of Seventh-day Adventist Church members by holding elections on Saturdays.

The court scheduled the hearing for May 22.

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