9th NASS election: Court orders use of open ballot system

An Abuja High Court has ordered the use of an open ballot system in the election of presiding officers of the 9th Assembly.

This comes up barely hours to the 9th Assembly leadership elections.

This follows a suit filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC) senators which faulted the use of Senate standing orders 2015 (as amended).

According to the senators, the former leadership of the Senate smuggled in the use of secret ballot mode for voting as against the open ballot system without the approval of members of the Senate.

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The court, presided over by Justice O.A. Musa, on Monday granted an interim injunction restraining the clerk of the National Assembly, the Clerk of the Senate and the Sergeant At Arms to the Senate and others from relying on or enforcing the Senate standing orders 2015 (as amended) in the conduct of the election.