The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the local government election held in Rivers State on October 5, 2024, was invalid, illegal, null, and void. The election, won by the All Peoples Party (APP), was annulled due to non-compliance with legal requirements.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur stated that the Rivers State Electoral Commission disregarded essential legal procedures, violating Section 150 of the Electoral Act 2022.
Prior to the election, an Abuja Federal High Court had, on September 30, 2024, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) with the voters’ register for the election. The court also prohibited the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the polls.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the Federal High Court ruling, stated that RSIEC acted unlawfully by setting the election date for October 5, 2024, without adhering to necessary legal provisions.
Key violations cited include:
Failure to publish the mandatory 90-day election notice as required by law.
Inadequate update and revision of the voters’ register before setting an election date.
As a result, the court ordered INEC not to release the certified voter register until all legal requirements were fulfilled. It also barred RSIEC from using any voter register for the election.
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