A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim injunction stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the forthcoming local government elections.
Justice Peter Lifu granted the order on Friday in a motion ex-parte brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The motion was filed by a team of senior lawyers, including Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja, all SANs.
The court also restrained the Rivers Electoral Commission and Rivers Attorney-General from receiving or using part of the National Voter’s Register relating to Rivers State for the local government elections.
Additionally, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Service (DSS) were stopped from participating or providing security protection for the elections.
Justice Lifu directed the defendants to maintain the status quo and not take any further steps in conducting the local government elections in Rivers State. The interim orders will remain in force until the determination of the substantive suit challenging the propriety of the conduct of elections in Rivers local governments.
The APC had filed the suit due to INEC’s failure to comply with the Electoral Act in managing the register of voters. The party argued that only the voter register compiled and maintained by INEC can be used for local government polls.
The court fixed August 2 for the defendants to appear for hearing of the substantive matter.
