ABUJA, Nigeria – The local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024, in Rivers State have been thrown into uncertainty following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja.
Justice Peter Lifu on Monday, September 30, 2024, issued an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from releasing the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, effectively halting preparations for the election.
The court also instructed the Department of State Services, DSS, and the police not to provide security for the election.
The ruling came in response to a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, represented by senior advocates Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja.
The APC argued that RSIEC had failed to comply with legal procedures, including the mandatory 90-day notice required before setting an election date.
The court found in favour of the APC, ruling that the voter register update must be completed before the election date could be finalised, rendering RSIEC’s current plans invalid.
With this decision, the Rivers local government elections are now in jeopardy.
RSIEC cannot proceed with the election without meeting the legal requirements set by the court, which include the proper timing of election notices and the use of an updated voter register.
The delay in resolving these issues raises doubts about whether the election will take place as originally scheduled.
