Supreme Court to hear APC’s suits against Rivers LG election conduct Feb 10

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The All Progressives Congress, or APC, filed two lawsuits against the Supreme Court on February 10 to decide whether or not the local government election held in Rivers State last year was lawful.

After resolving all of the preliminary concerns brought up by the parties to the case, the Apex Court set the date for Tuesday.

Following the resolution of all motions pertaining to the two appeals, a five-member panel of Justices of the Court, presided over by Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji, directed solicitors for the parties to submit and exchange their respective briefs of arguments for and against the delayed date.

Last year, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja to refrain from delivering voter registration to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in order to hold the Council election.

The order was given by Justice Peter Lifu, who based his ruling on the Rivers Local Government Electoral Commission’s failure to adhere to the precedent-setting requirements for such elections.

Additionally, Justice Lifu prohibited the Director General of the Department of the State Security Service (DSS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) from taking part in or supplying security for any local government election in Rivers State.

Additionally, the judge prohibited the State Attorney General and RSIEC from obtaining voter registrations from INEC or using any portion of them to conduct local government elections.

Justice Lifu’s ruling concerned the APC’s lawsuit, which was filed under the filing number FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024.

But in a ruling, the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared that Justice Lifu’s court lacked the authority to issue the orders he issued in support of the APC, therefore nullifying and voiding his rulings.

The APC, dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s decision, filed two distinct appeals, SC/CV/1106/2024 and SC/CV/1106/2024, requesting that the Supreme Court overturn the Court of Appeal’s decision and reinstate the Federal High Court’s decision in its favour.

Chris Uche, SAN, and a number of solicitors represented the respondents in the case during Tuesday’s sessions, while Joseph Bodunde Daudu and Ogwu James Onoja, both SANS, represented the APC.

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