Court dismisses suit seeking to stop elections on Saturdays

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church seeking to halt the conduct of elections in Nigeria on Saturdays.

Justice James Omotosho, in his ruling on Wednesday, described the suit as frivolous, vexatious, irritating, and baseless. He rejected the argument that holding elections on Saturdays infringed upon the fundamental rights of the church’s members.

The judge emphasized that the government has the authority to restrict the fundamental rights of the church and its members through policy, noting that the rights of the church were not unrestricted. He also pointed out that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a minority in Nigeria and cannot impose its doctrine on the majority of other religious denominations in the country.

The suit was brought by a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Ugochukwu Uchenwa, who challenged the holding of elections in Nigeria on Saturdays. He argued that this practice violated their fundamental rights to freedom of worship as citizens and prevented them from participating in the elections.

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Meanwhile, Benjamin Ahamaefule, counsel to the applicant, has stated his intention to challenge the court’s decision at the Court of Appeal.