The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the timely release of the Rivers State voters’ register ahead of the August 9, 2025 local government elections in the state.
The release followed a formal request from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RISIEC), made in a letter dated March 3, 2025, and signed by its chairman/chief electoral commissioner, Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli.
The letter, addressed to the INEC Chairman, cited Sections 9(1)(a) and 15 of the Electoral Act 2022 as the legal basis for the request, emphasising that the Supreme Court’s recent pronouncement on local government administration in the state had necessitated the fresh elections.
In response, INEC, through a letter dated March 13 and signed by its Secretary, Rose Oriaran, granted RISIEC’s request, directing them to liaise with the Commission’s Rivers State office to collect the soft copy of the voter register and the updated list of registered political parties.
“The Commission has considered and approved your request,” the letter stated.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its national spokesperson, Comrade Mark Adebayo, CUPP stated: “We, as an opposition coalition, wish to salute the dutifulness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the expeditious compliance with the Supreme Court judgement by the timely release of the Rivers State Voters’ Register in preparation for the local government election already fixed for August 9th, 2025.
“By doing this, in spite of distractions by political rabble-rousers who are hellbent on suffocating democracy at grassroots levels in the state.
“The INEC has proven its institutional integrity by doing the needful in defence of democracy and the rule of law.
“This is highly commendable and we celebrate the decisiveness of the Commission in doing what is right, legal, and constitutional in obedience to a legitimate Court order.
“We wholeheartedly congratulate the leadership of the Commission for building people’s confidence in our democratic process by this action.
“At the same time, we call on the Attorney-General to begin the process of prosecuting the pro-Wike group trying to scuttle the implementation of the Supreme Court’s Judgment on the forthcoming local government election by all criminal means.”
