Why The Court Bars INEC From Giving Rivers Electoral Commission Access To The Voters Register

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has once again prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the forthcoming local government elections set for 5 October 2024. This ruling was delivered on Monday during the judgment of a case brought before him by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. In his decision, Justice Lifu criticized the RSIEC for designating 5 October as the election date without complying with the applicable laws governing electoral processes. He determined that the Rivers State electoral authority breached the local government election law by neglecting to issue the required 90-day notice prior to establishing the election date. The judge further asserted that the updating and revision of the voters’ register must be finalized before a legally valid election date can be established. Consequently, he instructed INEC not to release the certified voters’ register to RSIEC until all legal prerequisites are fulfilled. Additionally, Justice Lifu prohibited RSIEC from accepting or utilizing any voters’ register from INEC for the purpose of the local government election on 5 October. The court also barred the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election. The legal team representing the APC, which included Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja, presented the case on behalf of the party. It is important to note that on 19 July, Justice Lifu had previously issued an order, in response to an ex-parte motion filed by the APC, restraining INEC from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC. He also prohibited the IGP and DSS from engaging in or providing security for the RSIEC during the election process. The judge instructed all parties involved to maintain the status quo ante bellum and to refrain from taking any further actions regarding the election until the substantive case is heard.