A Federal High Court in Abuja has halted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supplying the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the upcoming local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024.
The court also ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) not to provide security for the election.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the ruling after the All Progressives Congress (APC) filed a lawsuit challenging the election process. Senior advocates Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja represented the APC in the case.
Justice Lifu concluded that RSIEC jumped the gun by setting the election date without following the required legal procedures. He noted that the electoral body failed to adhere to the 90-day notice required under the local government election law.
Furthermore, the court highlighted that the voters’ register must be updated and revised before a valid election can take place. As a result, INEC was directed not to hand over the register until all legal conditions are met.
RSIEC was also instructed not to use any voters’ register from INEC for the October 5 elections until proper procedures are followed.
