The Supreme Court has declared the local government election conducted on the 5th of October 2024 by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission invalid, null and void.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, the court declared the election won by the All Peoples Party, APP as invalid for grossly violating the Electoral Act.
Reading the judgement, Justice Tukur said the action of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission is declared void for lack of substantial compliance to the Electoral Act and guidelines as the electoral body continued voter registration even after announcing an election date.
The court held that processes leading to the conduct of a local government election were abridged in clear violation of Section 150 of the Electoral Act.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had on
September 30, 2024 stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from releasing voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, for the purpose of conducting the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the state.
The court had also barred the Inspector General of Police IGP and the Department of the State Services, DSS, from providing security.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order against INEC while delivering judgment in a suit brought before him by the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The suit was argued on behalf of the APC by a team of lawyers comprising Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon and Ogwu James Onoja, all SANs.
Justice Lifu held that the RSIEC was wrong in fixing the October 5, 2024 date for the conduct of the poll into the 23 local governments when all relevant laws guiding the election had not been complied with.
Among others, the judge held that the failure of the Rivers electoral body violated provisions of local government election conduct law for not publishing the mandatory 90 days notice before fixing the date.
Justice Peter Lifu also held that the update and revision of voter register ought to have been concluded before an election date can be legally and validity fixed in law.
The judge therefore ordered INEC not to make the certified voter register available to RSIEC until the law has been fully complied with.
Justice Peter Lifu also barred RSIEC from accepting any voter register from INEC or using it for the purpose of the October 5, 2024 local government poll.
