“Breaking: Court Blocks INEC from Issuing Voters’ Register Ahead of Rivers LG Poll”

Babatunji Wusu –

– Court Ruling: Federal High Court halts INEC from supplying voters’ register to RSIEC for local government elections.
– Security Prohibition: The Inspector General of Police and DSS are barred from providing security for the elections.
– Premature Election Date: RSIEC acted prematurely by setting the election date without legal compliance.
– Legal Requirements: Emphasis on the need for a 90-day notice and completion of voter registration updates before elections.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing 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 barred the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the elections.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), represented by a team of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja. The court found that RSIEC acted prematurely in setting the election date, as it failed to comply with necessary legal requirements, specifically the obligation to publish a 90-day notice prior to the election.

Justice Lifu underscored that the updating and revision of the voters’ register must be completed before a valid election date can be established. Consequently, INEC has been ordered not to provide the certified voters’ register to RSIEC until all legal stipulations are fulfilled. RSIEC is also prohibited from accepting or utilizing any voters’ register from INEC for the October 5 elections.

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