Supreme Court Declares Rivers LG Election Invalid, Sacks All 23 Council Chairmen
The Supreme Court has declared as invalid the Rivers State Local Government (LG) Election held on October 5, 2024, sacking all 23 council chairmen who emerged winners of the election.
Delivering the lead judgement on Friday, on behalf of the five-member panel of the apex court, Justice Jamilu Tukur, held that the Rivers State Electoral Commission (RSIEC) did not meet the conditions needed for the election.
Justice Tukur held that the poll won by candidates of the All Peoples Party (APP) was conducted in gross violation of section 150 of the Electoral Act 2022.
It would be recalled that a Federal High court in Abuja had, on September 30, 2024, stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voter’s register to RSIEC to conduct the LG elections in the state.
The court also barred the Inspector General of Police IGP and the Department of the State Service (DSS) from providing security for the election.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order against INEC while delivering judgment in a suit brought before him by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Lifu held that the RSIEC was wrong in fixing the October 5 date for the conduct of the poll into the 23 local governments when all relevant laws guiding the election had not been complied with.
The Judge held that the failure of Rivers Electoral body ought to have published the mandatory 90 days notice before fixing the date. He also held that the update and revision of the voter register ought to have been concluded before an election date could be fixed.
The judge, therefore, ordered INEC not to release the voter register until the law has been fully complied with.
Justice Peter Lifu also barred RSIEC from accepting any voter register from INEC or using it for the October 5 local government poll.
Supreme Court Declares Rivers LG Election Invalid, Sacks All 23 Council Chairmen is first published on The Whistler Newspaper