July 30, (THEWILL) – The Benue State House of Assembly has passed the Benue State Electoral (Amendment) Law 2012 and other purposes connected therewith into law, even as it barred court from stopping party processes, primaries.
The bill was passed on Monday, after scaling through the third reading at the plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh.
The amendment law mandated only the Organising Secretary of Political Parties to submit names of delegates and candidates for the local government elections to the Benue State Electoral Commission (BSIEC).
The law also prescribed a 3-year tenure for elected leadership of the local government councils in the state as against two years.
According to the law, an aspirant, who complains that any of the provisions of the law and the guidelines of a political party have not been compiled within the selection or nomination of candidate of a political party for election, may apply to the Federal or State High Court for redress.
The law forbids the courts from stopping the holding of party processes, primaries or Local Government Elections.
“By insertion of a new section 15 (4) thus, (4) Notwithstanding the provision relating to time for the doing of an act under the law, the Commission shall have the powers to abridge same”, it stated.
