By Samaila Emmanuel Bzugu
A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to use the 2023 voters’ register for the upcoming local government elections. Justice I. Igwe of High Court number 14 made this ruling in a case brought by the Action People’s Party (APP) against the State Electoral Commission, the Rivers State Government, and the Governor.
This decision was made based on Section 7, subsection 1 of the Constitution and Section 5 (A) of the RSIEC Law Number 2 of 2018, which requires the defendants to conduct the local government polls within the shortest possible time
The court mandated RSIEC to conduct the elections using the 2023 register and directed the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Force to provide necessary protection during the election process. This decision was made based on Section 7, subsection 1 of the Constitution and Section 5 (A) of the RSIEC Law Number 2 of 2018, which requires the defendants to conduct the local government polls within the shortest possible time.
Interestingly, this ruling comes after the expiration of the tenure of former elected officials on June 17 and the Federal Government’s decision mandating states without democratically elected local governments to conduct elections within three months, following the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy.
This order was made due to concerns about INEC’s compliance with the Electoral Act regarding voter register management
However, it’s worth noting that there’s another court order from a Federal High Court in Abuja, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC for the same local government elections. This order was made due to concerns about INEC’s compliance with the Electoral Act regarding voter register management.
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