The Supreme Court on Friday declared the local government election conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission on October 5, 2024, null and void.
The court ruled that the election violated the Electoral Act, citing RSIEC’s failure to adhere to proper procedures, including continuing voter registration after announcing the election date, which contravened Section 150 of the Electoral Act.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur stated, “The action of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission is declared void for lack of substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and guidelines.”
The court’s decision invalidates the election results and removes all 23 local government chairmen who emerged from the poll. Most of the chairmen were candidates of the All Peoples Party.
The Supreme Court’s ruling follows an earlier judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 30, 2024, which barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the voter register to RSIEC for the election. Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the Federal High Court’s judgment, also prohibited the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services from providing security for the poll.
Justice Lifu had criticized RSIEC for setting the October 5 election date without meeting legal requirements. He emphasized that the electoral body failed to provide the mandatory 90-day notice before the poll and did not complete the voter register update before announcing the election date.
Justice Lifu stated, “RSIEC 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.”
With the Supreme Court’s ruling, the sacked local government chairmen have been ordered to vacate their offices immediately. The judgment underscores the importance of strict adherence to electoral laws and guidelines in conducting free, fair, and credible elections.
