They also asked the court to declare that there is still sufficient time for the electoral body to comply with provisions of sections 13, 14, and 15 of the 1999 constitution.
A federal high court in Abuja will on February 15 deliver judgment in a suit seeking to allow Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in the forthcoming general elections.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Tuesday after hearing the arguments of the lawyers for the plaintiffs and defendants, TheCable reports.
The plaintiffs are Chikwe Nkemnacho and Kenneth Nkemnacho, who live in the United Kingdom.
The suit was instituted on behalf of Nigerians in the Diaspora.
Listed as the first to fourth defendants are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the chairman of INEC, the President of Nigeria, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria respectively.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2119/2022, the plaintiffs asked the court to order INEC and the Nigerian government to suspend campaigns for the 2023 general elections until Nigerians in the Diaspora are included as registered voters for the polls.
They also asked the court to rule that, in accordance with sections 13, 14, 42, and 17 of the 1999 constitution, Nigerians in the Diaspora who are of voting age are entitled to take part in the electoral process by registering to vote in all elections, regardless of where they live.
They also asked the court to declare that there is still sufficient time for the electoral body to comply with provisions of sections 13, 14, and 15 of the 1999 constitution.
According to them, their fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution would be grossly violated if they are allowed to vote in the 2023 elections and subsequent ones.