A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the forthcoming local government elections in the state, using the 2023 voters’ register.
The court also mandated the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Force to provide necessary protection during the election process.
The orders were given by Justice I. Igwe of High Court number 14 in a case instituted by the Action People’s Party (APP) against the State Electoral umpire, the Rivers State Government and the Governor of Rivers State.
In the orders which were given on September 4, but sighted by Channels Television on Sunday, the Judge said the defendants are bound by Section 7, sub section 1 of the Constitution and Section 5 (A) of the RSIEC Law Number 2 of 2018 to make provisions and conduct the local government polls within the shortest possible time, especially following the expiration of the tenure of the former elected officials on June 17.
The court also cited as a necessity, the recent decision of the Federal Government mandating states without democratically elected local government to do so within three months, following the judgement of the Supreme Court on local government autonomy.
The Court urged that all necessary arrangements be made to ensure the conduct of the election on October 5, 2024 as announced by RSIEC.
