25% FCT: If The Supreme Court Says 2/3 And FCT, It Means That Election Has To Be Repeated- Nya-Etok
July 4, 2023
Nya-Etok emphasizes that the 2023 presidential election cannot be considered finalized. He asserts that the outcome may ultimately depend on the interpretation of the constitution by the Supreme Court, particularly regarding the 2/3 and FCT requirement. Until a definitive ruling is made, the possibility of the election being repeated remains open.
Political Analyst and former African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Arc Ezekiel Nya-Etok, has expressed his opinion on the 2023 presidential election, stating that it could be repeated if the case reaches the Supreme Court. Nya-Etok believes that if the Supreme Court interprets the constitution with an emphasis on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the election would have to be repeated.
Hear him “The 2023 general election is not done and dusted. We must understand that. There is the tribunal. And the issues at the tribunal are extremely fundamental and I will give you just one issue. If the Supreme Court says that 2/3 and FCT means, If jamb says for you to get admission you must get 5 credit and English. If you like get up to 20 credits without English you can’t come in. If they now come and put that as the interpretation of the law, we all know what the dare consequences means, it means that election has to be repeated. Therefore 2023 election is not done and dusted.
Nya-Etok highlights that the 2023 general election is not yet concluded, as there is still a possibility for legal challenges through the tribunal system. He considers one crucial issue in particular, which he illustrates with a comparison to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) admissions process. Using the example of JAMB requiring students to have five credits, including English, for admission, he suggests that if the Supreme Court applies a similar standard to the 2/3 and FCT provision in the constitution, the consequence would be a repetition of the election.
In Nya-Etok’s view, the consequences of such an interpretation of the law would be significant. He implies that if the Supreme Court were to require candidates to meet the 2/3 majority threshold in both the states and the FCT, similar to the JAMB English language requirement for admission, it would render the current election invalid. Consequently, the election would need to be repeated to ensure compliance with the newly interpreted constitutional provision