With the speed of legislative lightening, the Lagos State House of Assembly within a day, passed an amendment to the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) law and sent it to the Governor for assent. This was done, ostensibly to render nugatory, the judgment of the State High court in respect of Odi-Olowo local government primaries, which was held along with others at Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos.
This unfortunately development reminds one of the popular Lakanmi's case, one of the early cases of military executive disdain for the judiciary.
There was the promulgation of the Forfeiture of Assets Validation Decree No. 45 of 1968. The property of Mr E.O. Lakanmi, was confiscated by the government. Mr Lakanmi went to court to challenge the confiscation order and the case dragged on to the Supreme court - Lakanmi v. Attorney-General (West) (1970)4E.C.S.N 713.
The Supreme court, in a courageous assertion of its independence, declared the Decree void and went ahead to make some fundamental pronouncements. The Supreme court, under the leadership of Sir Adetokunbo Ademola declared the Decree a legislative judgment, which constituted an infringement on the judicial sphere.
But the military, in its characteristic arrogance, overturned the landmark judicial pronouncement of the Supreme court 15 days after, with the promulgation of the Federal Military Government (Supremacy and Enforcement of powers) Decree 28 of 1970.
So, what the Lagos State House of Assembly has done with this hurried amendment to the LASIEC law, in effect, was to make the judgment of the State High court on the Odi-Olowo primaries nugatory.
Well, it would be interesting to see how the various cases in court on the primaries would play out when they eventually get to the appellate courts.
But nonetheless, l am disappointed with the State's House of Assembly and Lagos APC over this move, "photocopying" the military disdain for the judiciary.
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