Supreme Court Cancels Rivers LG Polls, Faults Electoral Process
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive blow to electoral irregularities in Rivers State, declaring the local government elections conducted on October 5, 2024, invalid. The apex court ruled that the process violated electoral laws, making the outcomes legally void. This judgment follows a heated legal battle that questioned the credibility of the elections, with the court emphasizing the need for strict adherence to due process in Nigeria’s democratic system.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) had filed an appeal challenging the legality of the elections, arguing that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) failed to adhere to mandatory legal provisions, including the required 90-day notice prior to the election date. The Supreme Court, in its judgment, upheld the APC’s position, stating that RSIEC’s actions contravened established electoral laws.
This ruling overturns previous decisions by lower courts that had created a complex legal landscape surrounding the elections. Notably, in September 2024, Justice I. Igwe of the Rivers State High Court had ordered RSIEC to conduct the local government elections using the 2023 voters’ register. Conversely, shortly before the elections, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC, effectively halting the electoral process.
Despite these conflicting rulings, RSIEC proceeded with the elections on October 5, 2024. The commission declared the Action Peoples Party (APP) as the winner in 22 of the 23 local government areas. citeturn0search13
The Supreme Court’s recent judgment has now invalidated these results, emphasizing the necessity for strict adherence to legal protocols in the conduct of elections. Legal experts suggest that this decision underscores the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and may serve as a precedent for future electoral processes in Nigeria.
In response to the ruling, stakeholders in Rivers State’s political landscape are assessing the implications for local governance. The state government and RSIEC are expected to issue official statements outlining their next steps in compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision. Meanwhile, the APC and other political parties have lauded the judgment as a victory for democracy and the sanctity of the electoral process.
This development calls for a renewed focus on ensuring that electoral bodies at all levels adhere strictly to legal requirements to prevent future invalidations and to maintain public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.