A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voters register to Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the purpose of conducting the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the state.
The court also barred the Inspector General of Police IGP and the Department of State Services DSS from providing security during the election.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order against INEC, while delivering judgment in a suit brought before him by the All Progressives Congress, APC.In the judgment, Justice Lifu held that the RSIEC was wrong in fixing the October 5 date for the conduct of the poll into the 23 local governments when all relevant laws guiding the election had not been complied with.
Among others, the judge held that the Rivers Electoral body violated the provision of local governments election conduct law by not publishing the mandatory 90 days notice before fixing the date.
Justice Lifu also held that the update and revision of voter register ought to have been concluded before fixing an election date as required by law.
The Judge therefore ordered INEC not to make the certified voter register available to RSIEC until the law has been fully complied with. Justice Peter Lifu also barred RSIEC from accepting any voter register from INEC or using it for the purpose of the October 5 local government polls.
The APC had approached the federal high court in an originating summons, asking the court to set aside all proceedings, acts and things done or purported to have been done by the defendants in furtherance of the conduct of the purported Local government elections in Rivers State that are, by virtue of sections 13 and 20 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, in contravention, breach or violation of items 1 and 12 on the Concurrent Legisiative List; Part II of the Second Schedule to the Constitution ofthe FederalRepublic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and sections 28, 29 and 103(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
