By Abigail Philip David
On Friday, the Supreme Court nullified the National Lottery Act of 2005, which was enacted by the National Assembly.
In a unanimous decision, a seven-member panel of the court ruled that the law is no longer valid in all states, except the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where the National Assembly has authority to legislate.
The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, stated that the National Assembly does not have the constitutional authority to legislate on matters related to lotteries and games of chance. Instead, the court clarified that this power rests exclusively with state Houses of Assembly.
Further details to follow…