Council poll: Abuja Court orders INEC not to release voters’ register to Rivers electoral commission

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has once again issued an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024.

This decision was made on Monday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

Justice Lifu criticized RSIEC for setting 5 October as the election date without adhering to the relevant laws governing the conduct of the election.

He ruled that the Rivers State electoral body violated the provisions of the local government election law by failing to publish the mandatory 90-day notice before fixing the election date.

The judge further held that before setting a legally valid election date, the voters’ register should have undergone updating and revision.

As a result, he gave INEC an order to hold off on releasing the certified voter’s register to RSIEC until all legal requirements were met.

APC legal team led by renowned lawyers — Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), Mr. Sebastine Hon (SAN), and Mr. Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), presented the case on behalf of the party.

Persecondnews recalls that on 19 July, Justice Lifu, in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the APC, initially issued an order restraining INEC from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC.

He also restrained the IGP and DSS from participating or providing security for the RSIEC in conducting the election.

The judge directed all parties involved to maintain the “status quo ante bellum” and refrain from taking any further steps in relation to the election until the substantive suit is heard and determined.