The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reversed a Federal High Court judgment that barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the conduct of local government elections on October 5, 2024.
A three-member panel led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi delivered the unanimous decision, asserting that the Federal High Court erred in its ruling. The appellate court further criticized the lower court's decision to prevent security agencies from offering protection during the election process.
The panel emphasized that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to preside over matters concerning the Rivers State local government elections. It clarified that Section 28 of the Electoral Act, which mandates a 90-day notice before an election, is applicable only to federal elections, governorship races, and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.
Earlier, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had ruled in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the election. The High Court had halted the elections, citing RSIEC’s failure to issue the required 90-day notice and to complete
