Abuja High Court Bars INEC From Releasing Voters’ Register To Rivers Electoral Commission: What You Need to Know
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024. This decision was based on several legal and procedural issues:
- Legal Non-Compliance: The court found that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had not adhered to the required legal processes, including not providing the mandatory 90 days notice before scheduling the election date.
- Voter Register Use: The ruling emphasized that only INEC has the statutory authority to compile, maintain, and update the voters’ register, which RSIEC should then use for local government elections. However, due to procedural lapses, INEC was barred from handing over the register.
- Security and Enforcement: Additionally, the court barred the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services from providing security or facilitating any activities related to the conduct of these elections by RSIEC.
- Status Quo Maintenance: The court ordered that the status quo be maintained, effectively stopping any further steps towards the local government elections until all legal issues are resolved.
This legal intervention highlights ongoing tensions and procedural disagreements between federal electoral bodies and state-level electoral commissions, reflecting broader issues of electoral process integrity and legal adherence in Nigerian electoral politics. This case underscores the judiciary’s role in ensuring that electoral laws are strictly followed, aiming to uphold the fairness and legality of electoral processes in Rivers State and potentially setting a precedent for similar scenarios nationwide.
