Nigerian High Court Orders State Electoral Commission to Conduct Local Elections with 2023 Voters’ Register

In a significant development, a High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has issued an order directing the state Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the upcoming local government elections using the 2023 voters’ register. The court also mandated the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to provide necessary protection during the election process.

The ruling was given by Justice I. Igwe of High Court No. 14 in a case filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against the state electoral umpire, the Rivers State Government, and the Governor of Rivers State. The judge stated that the defendants are bound by Section 7, Subsection 1 of the Constitution and Section 5 (A) of RSIEC Law Number 2 of 2018 to conduct the local government polls within the shortest possible time, especially in light of the expiration of the tenure of the former elected officials on June 17.

The court’s decision comes in the wake of the Federal Government’s recent mandate to states without democratically elected local government to conduct elections within three months, following the Supreme Court’s judgement on local government autonomy. The court urged the necessary arrangements to be made to ensure the conduct of the election on October 5, 2024, as announced by RSIEC.

The decision is seen as a significant step towards ensuring the holding of free and fair local government elections in Rivers State, and the involvement of the security agencies in providing necessary protection during the election process is expected to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls.