Court Grants REISC to Use 2023 Voters Registration For October 5 LG Election: All You Need to Know

High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has issued an order for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the local government elections using the 2023 voters’ register. This directive was confirmed by multiple posts on X and news reports indicating that:

• Justice I. P. C. Igwe of the Rivers State High Court granted an interlocutory order specifically for RSIEC to hold the local council elections on October 5, 2024, or another specified date, and to utilize the 2023 voters’ register for this purpose.
• The court’s decision was influenced by the need to comply with constitutional requirements for local government elections, referencing the expiration of the tenure of previous local government officials and aligning with a Supreme Court judgment advocating for local government autonomy within three months of the ruling.
• The order not only mandates the use of the existing voter’s register but also requires security agencies, including the police and NSCDC, to provide adequate security during the election process.

Public sentiment on X varies, with some users questioning the legality or practicality of using the 2023 register, while others appear to accept the court’s decision as a step towards conducting the local elections as scheduled. There’s an underlying current of political maneuvering and legal debate around this decision, reflecting broader political dynamics within Rivers State.

This judicial directive aims to ensure that the local government elections proceed as planned, emphasizing the use of an already established voter registry to maintain continuity and legality in the electoral process.