The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by Ugochukwu Uchenwa, an elder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, seeking to stop the conduct of elections and examinations on Saturdays.
Uchenwa argued that scheduling such activities on Saturdays violated his religious rights and those of other church members.
He urged the court to declare this practice unconstitutional or allow them to participate on other days, including Sundays.
The defendants included government officials and educational bodies responsible for scheduling these events.
However, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the suit lacked merit, describing it as frivolous and baseless.
He emphasized that government policies cannot curtail fundamental rights, and noted that the Seventh-day Adventist Church represents a minority in Nigeria, suggesting their doctrine cannot be imposed on the majority.
Following the judgment, Uchenwa’s counsel, Benjamin Ahaemefule, announced their intention to appeal the decision, citing disagreement with the court’s reasoning.
While the court acknowledged some aspects of their argument, it ultimately rejected their substantive request, prompting the decision to pursue further legal action at the appellate level.
