President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has praised the judgement of
the Court of Appeal which upheld the powers of the National Assembly to
make laws, including the bill amending election sequence.
The judgement dismissed the earlier verdict of the Federal High
Court, which stopped the National Assembly from overriding the assent of
the President on the bill.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity),
Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, stated that the judgement had further
reinforced the belief of Nigerians that the judiciary remained the hope
of the country in strengthening democracy, resolving conflicts between
various arms and levels of government as well protecting the rights of
individuals.
He added that with the judgement, it is now clear that the National
Assembly was right when it passed the bill stating the sequence of
elections and that the legislature reversed its decision on the issue,
after President Muhammadu Buhari refused assent to the bill, in the
interest of peace and to forestall any legal obstacle on the way of the
2019 elections.
“I have always believed in the need to test our laws in court by seeking judicial interpretations on contentious issues.
“By doing so, we will be expanding the scope of our laws, sharpening
the rough edges of legislation and assserting our faith in the judiciary
as a fundamental arbiter”, Saraki stated.