The Supreme Court, on Monday, reserved judgment on the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking to nullify the Rivers State local government election conducted on October 5, 2024.
During Monday’s proceedings, the apex court announced that a date for the judgment would be communicated later after all parties in the suit adopted their processes.
It will be recalled that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had previously restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the conduct of the election.
Justice Lifu also barred the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services from providing security during the election.
Despite the court judgment and the withdrawal of policemen, RSIEC, however, went ahead with the election, with the opposition Action Peoples Party winning 22 out of the 23 local government seats in the state.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government proceeded to the Court of Appeal to challenge Justice Lifu’s verdict.
In its ruling, the appellate court nullified Justice Lifu’s judgment, holding that the lower court judge overstepped his jurisdiction by preventing security agencies from providing security during the elections.
The three-member panel of justices held in a unanimous decision that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit challenging Rivers State council elections.
The court stated, “Section 28 of the Electoral Act does not cover elections conducted by states but only federal elections, governorship, and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.”
Displeased with the appeal court’s verdict, the APC proceeded to the Supreme Court.
At Monday’s hearing at the apex court, APC’s counsel, J. B. Daudu (SAN), urged the Supreme Court to allow their appeal and dismiss the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had refused to nullify the Rivers local government polls.
However, Chris Uche (SAN), representing RSIEC, and Yusuf Ali (SAN), counsel for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, both prayed the court to dismiss APC’s appeal.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, thereafter declared that judgment in the appeal would be reserved, with the date to be announced later.
