Vanguard reports that the Court of Appeal in Abuja has reversed a Federal High Court decision that prohibited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from giving the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) the voter registration list for already-conducted local government elections.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
A special panel led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi delivered the judgment on Thursday, ruling that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction in the matter. The Court of Appeal clarified that Section 28 of the Electoral Act pertains exclusively to federal elections, governorship elections, and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. It does not extend to state electoral commissions’ elections.
The appellate court also criticized the Federal High Court’s earlier order, which restricted security agencies from performing their constitutional roles during the electoral process.
Previously, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had ruled against RSIEC for planning local government elections on October 5 without adhering to legal requirements. Justice Lifu stated that RSIEC failed to provide the mandatory 90-day notice before scheduling the elections and ruled that the voters’ register needed to be updated and revised before any valid election could take place. Consequently, he instructed INEC to withhold the Certified Voters’ Register until all legal conditions were met.
The appeal addressed by Justice Otisi’s panel was part of a series of challenges to Federal High Court rulings over political disputes in Rivers State. The panel had earlier reserved judgment on consolidated appeals related to Justice Lifu’s decision.
Meanwhile, the local government elections in Rivers State proceeded amid rising tensions fueled by a political rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, adding further complexities to the electoral process.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
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