I’m not aware of APC’s 3 days resignation order, says Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment and one of the leading presidential aspirants seeking to be the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Senator Chris Ngige has denied knowledge of any order emanating from the ruling party ordering political appointees interested in contesting elections next year to resign their appointments.

Senator Ngige also said that even if there is any order to that effect, it has not been conveyed to him and that there is a subsisting judgment from competent court of jurisdiction striking down the judgment.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Ngige, who was a former governor of Anambra State said that since section 84 (12) has been challenged in court and judgment entered into, the judgment should be obeyed until it is vacated by the court.

Asked his position on the APC leadership order that political office holders interested in contesting elections in 2023 should resign within 72 hours, Ngige said, “I don’t know about that I’m hearing for the first time from you.

“But like I always say, I’ll be guided by the letters and spirit of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. You are pushing me into something that is not necessary to discuss, because that aspect of the law enacted by the National Assembly, via the Electoral Act, that section 84:12 has been struck down by a court of law and the case is on appeal.

“And for now, no matter how bad the judgment is, that’s the maximum jurisprudence no matter how bad a judgment of court is, it should be obeyed, until upturned or stayed. But there is no stay, that particular pronouncement has not been upturned, and the party is on appeal.

“So the judgment is still subsisting, that aspect of the law was injurious to some persons and should not have been there. I also know that the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria in certain sections, section 107, 137 and 88, prescribe disqualification clauses for people who are going for election and that prescription is supreme, because it’s in the constitution and the constitution is the grand norm of all laws.”