The Supreme Court on Friday declared the local government elections held in Rivers State on October 5, 2024, as invalid, illegal, null, and void. The election, won by the All People’s Party (APP), was annulled due to procedural violations by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur ruled that the election was conducted in gross violation of Section 150 of the Electoral Act 2022, as key legal prerequisites were disregarded.
The ruling follows an earlier decision by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which, on September 30, 2024, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC. The court also prohibited the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election.
Delivering that judgment, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that RSIEC had wrongly fixed October 5 as the election date without complying with legal requirements. He noted that:
RSIEC failed to publish the mandatory 90-day election notice.
The voters’ register update and revision were not completed before the election date was set.
As a result, the court ordered INEC not to release the certified voters’ register to RSIEC until full compliance with electoral laws. RSIEC was also barred from using any voter register for the October 5 election.
This landmark judgment underscores the importance of strict adherence to electoral laws in Nigeria’s democratic process.
