By Comfort Olayinka
The Supreme Court has declared the local government election held in Rivers State on October 5, 2024, as invalid, illegal, null, and void. The election was won by the All People’s Party (APP). In a landmark judgment, the apex court held that the election was conducted in gross violation of Section 150 of the Electoral Act 2022.
Justice Jamilu Tukur, who delivered the lead verdict, emphasized that the Rivers State Electoral Commission jettisoned all conditions precedent to the election. This decision is a significant blow to the APP, which had claimed victory in the election.
The Supreme Court’s judgment comes after a Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the purpose of conducting the October 5, 2024, local government elections.
Justice Peter Lifu had issued the order against INEC, while delivering judgment in a suit brought before him by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The APC had argued that the RSIEC was wrong in fixing the October 5 date for the conduct of the poll without complying with relevant laws.
The Federal High Court had held that the RSIEC violated the provision of the local government election conduct law by not publishing the mandatory 90-day notice before fixing the election date. Additionally, the court ruled that the update and revision of the voter register ought to have been concluded before an election date could be legally and validly fixed.
The Supreme Court’s decision to nullify the election is a testament to the country’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.
The nullification of the election has significant implications for the political landscape of Rivers State. It remains to be seen how the various stakeholders will respond to this development and what the next steps will be in the quest for a legitimate local government election in the state.
