Supreme Court declare Rivers State local government election invalid

Di Supreme Court do nullify di conduct of the Local government election in Rivers state.

Dis follow for di series of judgements wey di apex court dey give on Friday.

Di judgment na in suit SC/CV/1176/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, and nine others; and

Di Court say di conduct of di election without adherence to di electoral act dey "unconstitutional, null and void."

Justice Jamilu Tukur wey take di lead judgement say di local goment election no follow due process.

Reading di judgement, Justice Tukur tok say di action of di Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission dey void for lack of substantial compliance to di Electoral Act and guidelines.

Di court say di electoral body kontinu voter registration even afta announcing di election date.

Section 9(6) of di electoral act say: "Di registration of voters, updating and revision of di Register of voters unda dis section go stop not later dan 90 days bifor any election covered by dis Act."

Diafore, di Supreme Court Justices invoke section 150(3) of di electoral act wey tok say any local goment election conducted by a State Commission wey violate provisions of di act "go dey invalid".

Na di All Progressives Congress of Rivers State bin carry dis matter go court afta dem allege say di Rivers LG election wey happen for Octorber 23, 2024, no follow di regulations of di electoral act.

Di APC bin boycott dat election wey candidates of di Action Peoples Party (APP) later win 22 out of di 23 LG chairmanship positions.

Tori dat time be say dis purported APP candidates wey sweep di LG elections na Fubara loyalists wey move out of di PDP go join APP .

Samuel Nwanosike di former chairman of Ikwerre local goment commend di supreme court for "upholding di constitution" and law of di kontri

E tok say based on di Supreme Court Judgement im still be chairman.

Nwanosike add say make leaders dey careful of advice from pipo wey no dey play any role for Rivers state as dem dey give anti-democratic advice and mis-interpret di Nigeria constitution.

"Obeying all laws of our land, I still be di local goment chairman of as pronounced by di supreme court.

"We wan commend di supreme court, becos democracy dey operated on two legs on constitution and di rule of law," e tok.

"We go wait for di directive of Rivers State house of assembly as di Supreme court don order, dem go give us direction but di local goment law as we dey operate am."

Brief background

Remember say on September 30, 2024, Justice Peter Lifu of di Federal High Court Abuja, bin issue order to INEC make dem no release di voter register to RSIEC.

Di judge also tell di Nigeria Police and oda security agencies make dem no provide security during di election.

However di election go ahead as operatives of di Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) provide security.

However, on November 21, 2024, a special panel of di Court of Appeal give judgement say di lower court no get jurisdiction to hear di case oa local goment election.

Justice Onyekachi Otisi wey lead di panel rule say matters wey concern LG elections no suppose come bifore a federal high court but rather a state high court.

But di supreme court do overrule dat judgement of di court of appeal and uphold di initial ruling of Justice Lifu of di federal high court wey bin order say di election o go hold.