By Milcah Tanimu
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction preventing 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.
The ruling, delivered on Monday, stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. Justice Lifu criticized the RSIEC for scheduling the elections without adhering to legal requirements, notably the failure to provide the mandatory 90-day notice before setting the election date, as mandated by local government election laws.
The judge emphasized that the updating and revision of the voters’ register must be completed before establishing a legally valid election date. He subsequently ordered that INEC be barred from providing a certified voters’ register to RSIEC until all legal prerequisites are met.
Furthermore, the court ruled that RSIEC is prohibited from using or accepting any voters’ register from INEC for the October 5 elections. The ruling also extends to security arrangements, prohibiting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election.
The APC’s legal team, which included prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) such as Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja, argued the case, reinforcing the necessity of adhering to electoral laws. This latest ruling follows an earlier order issued by Justice Lifu on July 19, which initially restrained INEC from releasing the voters’ register and prohibited the IGP and DSS from engaging in security operations for the RSIEC regarding the elections.
