Court orders RSIEC to conduct LG polls on October 5

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has given a directive to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to proceed with the local council elections on October 5.

The court, presided over by Justice I. P. C. Igwe, ordered RSIEC to use the 2023 Voters’ Register for the elections.

In the suit marked PHC/2696/CS/2024, filed by Action Peoples Party (APP) against RSIEC, the Rivers State Government and the Governor of the state, the court emphasised the importance of conducting elections within three months to fill vacant council positions, as mandated by the Supreme Court.

The court declared that the State Government and the governor are bound by Section 7, subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, to ensure that local councils are run by democratically elected officials.

Additionally, the court ordered the Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Army, and other security agencies to provide adequate security during and after the polls to prevent security breaches.

This development came amid controversy surrounding the elections, with some parties questioning the legitimacy of the process.

However, RSIEC Chairman, Retired Justice Adolphus Enebeli, had reassured stakeholders that the commission is prepared to conduct the elections as scheduled, citing Section 60, Subsection 2 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law of 2018.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order to restrain INEC from releasing voters’ registers to RSIEC. The court reserved judgment on the matter.