#NigeriaDecides – ASHENEWS reports that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Saturday, displayed his ballot paper, saying he did not act in contravention of any provision(s) of the law in doing so.
ASHENEWS earlier reported that on the same day, President Muhammadu Buhari also displayed his ballot paper, which showed that he voted for the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.
Malami, in a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, made available to newsmen, clarified that his action did not violate any law.
“It is important to educate the general public that the section of the Electoral Law being referred to talk about individuals attempting to “obtain in a polling unit, information as to the candidate for whom a voter in that place is about to vote for or has voted.
“Section 122(3a)and (3b) provides: (3) No person shall—(a)interfere with a voter casting his or her vote, or by any other means obtain or attempt to obtain in a polling unit, information as to the candidate for whom a voter in that place is about to vote for or has voted for; or (b) communicate at any time to any other person information obtained in a polling unit as to the candidate to whom a voter is about to vote or has voted for.
“It is clear that the law was referring to a third party individual seeking information about another voter’s choice and disclosing to others the obtained information of a third party choice.
“Section 122(3)(b) prohibits third party individual to “communicate at any time to any other person information obtained in a polling unit as to the candidate to whom a voter (someone else) is about to vote or has voted for.
“The law does not contemplate puting restrictions on individuals revealing by themselves and out of their own volition, of candidate(s) they voted for.
“Moreover, the freedom of expression and right to belong to lawful associations are constitutionally guaranteed rights as contained in Sections 39, 40 and 42,” the statement reads.
