Court Halts Release of Voter Register for Rivers Local Elections

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a decisive ruling barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) ahead of the local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment following a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, criticizing RSIEC for improperly setting the election date without adhering to the necessary legal framework.

The judge stated that RSIEC violated the local government election law by failing to provide the mandated 90-day notice prior to announcing the election date.

Justice Lifu emphasized that the revision of the voters’ register must be completed to ensure the validity of the election date. He prohibited INEC from releasing any certified voters’ register to RSIEC until all legal prerequisites are fulfilled.

The court’s ruling also extends to preventing RSIEC from utilizing any voters’ register from INEC for the upcoming elections.

Also, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) have been ordered not to provide security for the election.

This latest ruling builds on an earlier injunction from July 19, when Justice Lifu initially restrained INEC from releasing the voters’ register and instructed all parties involved to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the substantive suit.

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The APC’s legal team, comprising Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja, celebrated the court’s decision as a victory for electoral integrity in the state.

As the electoral landscape in Rivers State faces uncertainty, the implications of this ruling are expected to resonate widely in the political arena leading up to the elections.