In what appears to be an attempt to frustrate the holding of the October 5, 2024, local government election in Rivers State, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt this Monday barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the 2023 voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Justice Peter Lifu who delivered the ruling following a lawsuit filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in addition, prohibited the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from offering security for the poll.
Justice Lifu held that the Rivers State Electoral Commission 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 further held that the failure of Rivers’ Electoral body violated a provision of local governments’ election conduct law by not publishing the mandatory 90 days notice before fixing the date, adding that the update and revision of voters’ register ought to have been concluded before an election date could be legally and validity fixed in law.
He consequently ordered INEC not to make the certified voter register available to RSIEC until the law has been fully complied with and also barred RSIEC from accepting any voter register from INEC or using it for the October 5 local government poll.
