<p><strong> OPENE, JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): </strong> The facts of the present case are that in 1992, the respondent sought to contest the National Assembly election which the appellant had the authority to organise under the NationalAssembly (Basic Constitutional and Transitional Provisions) Decree No. 18 of 1992. The respondent was cleared by the appellant state office at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to contest the election. However, this preliminary clearance was subject to the final confirmation by the appellant’s chief electoral officer at its headquarters at Abuja. The Akwa Ibom State list of the contestants, which had the name of the respondent, was sent to Abuja, but when the final list was sent to Uyo, it was found that the respondent was disqualified from contesting the election.</p><p>The appellant’s state office, believing that it was a mistake, made all efforts to have the respondent cleared but the headquarters insisted that therespondent was disqualified and the reason given was that the respo…</p>