A Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in the suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of local government elections in Rivers State. Justice Peter Lifu announced that a date for the judgment would be communicated to the involved parties after the lawyers had presented and argued their cases.
The APC, in its suit, requested the court to declare that INEC should only release the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in compliance with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act of 2022. The party also argued that INEC should stop continuous voter registration at least 90 days before the election, and claimed that RSIEC had not met the necessary conditions for conducting the local government elections.
The court also heard various preliminary applications, including motions for joinder by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Boot Party. In addition, a motion for a change of counsel and discontinuance of the suit was presented by Goddy Uche, SAN, on behalf of the Rivers chapter of the APC.
Joseph Daudu, SAN, representing the APC national body, requested that the court grant the party’s reliefs. However, counsel for the Attorney General of Rivers, Taiwo Taiwo, SAN, and INEC’s representative, Femi Falana, SAN, challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing that the case was statute-barred and should be heard in the Rivers division of the Federal High Court.
After considering all arguments, Justice Lifu reserved judgment and will notify the parties once a decision is reached.
