A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has struck out a motion seeking to halt the conduct of local government council elections in Rivers State scheduled for August 30, 2025.
Delivering the ruling on Thursday, Justice Stephen Jumbo held that the application lacked merit and consequently dismissed it. The court, however, granted a motion for substituted service on the defendants in the matter.
The suit was instituted by Port Harcourt-based lawyer Williams Abayomi-Stanley against President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), and its chairman.
The claimant is challenging whether the president has constitutional powers to appoint the RSIEC chairman and members to oversee local government elections in the state.
Justice Jumbo ordered that the elections slated for August 30 should proceed as planned and adjourned the substantive hearing to September 10, 2025.
Counsel to the claimant, Godsent Elewa, described the ruling as a partial victory since one of his motions was granted, and pledged to pursue the case further on the next adjourned date.
In preparation for the polls, Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, had earlier set up election tribunals to handle disputes arising from the exercise.
Meanwhile, in a separate suit, a former APC House of Assembly candidate, Chima Nnokam, alongside four others, approached the Rivers State High Court to declare the scheduled elections unconstitutional.
They are contesting the legality of the newly appointed RSIEC chairman, Michael Odey, and members of the commission, arguing that they were unlawfully appointed.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an injunction restraining RSIEC and two financial institutions from disbursing or utilising the commission’s funds.
They further asked the court to invalidate all actions taken by the Odey-led RSIEC, including the revised election timetable.
Additionally, they prayed for the reinstatement of Justice Adolphus Enebeli and his management team, who were sworn in two years ago with a five-year tenure, insisting that they remain the validly constituted RSIEC leadership.
Their reliefs include multiple declarations that the newly appointed commission members are not competent to conduct, supervise, or finance the forthcoming local government elections, stressing that their appointments were “null, void, and of no effect.”
