An Abuja-based court has issued an order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the 2023 voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) ahead of the upcoming local government elections on October 5, 2024.
This ruling follows a directive from a Port Harcourt High Court, instructing RSIEC to use the 2023 voters’ register for the local government polls.
The court order was given by Justice I. Igwe on September 4, 2024, in a case filed by the Action People’s Party (APP) against RSIEC, the Rivers State Government, and the Governor of Rivers State.
However, on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that INEC could not release the voters’ register to RSIEC.
The court also barred the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election.
Justice Lifu’s decision came after the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenged the election process in a suit brought before the court.
The judge noted that RSIEC had erred in scheduling the October 5 elections for the 23 local governments without adhering to the necessary legal procedures.
He cited the failure of RSIEC to publish the required 90-day notice, a breach of election conduct laws, and ruled that the update and revision of the voters’ register should have been completed before an election date could be legally confirmed.
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As a result, Justice Lifu ordered INEC not to provide the certified voters’ register to RSIEC until all legal requirements were met.
Additionally, the court prohibited RSIEC from accepting or using the voters’ register for the October 5 local government elections.
