Rivers Crisis: APC Reacts to Rivers LG Election Appeal Court Decision

The latest decision by the Special Court of Appeal Panel on the state’s local government elections has been praised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State chapter. The three-member panel headed by Justice Onyekachi Otisi was commended by APC’s State Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, for overturning the Federal High Court’s ruling, according to the Daily Post.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>

The previous ruling, made by Justice Peter Lifu had barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the elections.

The Federal High Court also prohibited security agencies, including the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), from providing security during the elections.

However, the Appeal Court ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over the matter and corrected Justice Lifu’s interpretation of the Constitution, which sought to impose INEC’s laws on State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) without constitutional amendments.

Nwauju emphasized that the initial ruling could have disrupted elections in several other states that rely on their SIEC laws.

The APC also condemned Justice Lifu’s directive against security agencies’ involvement in the elections, calling for an investigation into his actions.

The case was filed by Tony Okocha, the dismissed caretaker chairman of the APC in Rivers State, and the party condemned his actions, accusing him of using the APC as a platform to pursue legal actions that could harm the state.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>