JUST IN: Abuja Court Bars INEC from Releasing Voters’ Register to RSIEC Hours After Rivers Court Approval

A Federal High Court in Abuja has once again stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the scheduled October 5, 2024, local government elections in Rivers State. The court also barred the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the elections.

Justice Peter Lifu issued this order on Monday while delivering judgment on a suit brought before him by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The APC’s legal team was led by senior advocates Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja.

In his ruling, Justice Lifu stated that RSIEC had violated essential electoral provisions by fixing the election date without adhering to relevant laws, including the mandatory 90-day notice required for conducting local government elections. He also held that the voters’ register update and revision had not been completed, which further rendered the election date invalid. The judge, therefore, ordered that INEC should not release the certified voters’ register to RSIEC, and that RSIEC should not accept or use any voters’ register from INEC for the October 5 poll.

This ruling contrasts with an earlier decision by a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt. On September 4, 2024, Justice I. Igwe of the Rivers State High Court had ordered RSIEC to proceed with the local government election, directing INEC to provide the 2023 voters’ register for use. The Rivers State court had ruled in favor of conducting the elections as planned, following a suit filed by the Action People’s Party (APP).