Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the upcoming local government elections.
This interim injunction was granted in response to a motion ex-parte filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC’s motion, brought under various legal provisions, argued that INEC’s handling of the voter register violated the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.
Justice Lifu also barred the Rivers Electoral Commission and the Rivers Attorney-General from using any part of the National Voters Register for the elections.
Additionally, the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Service (DSS) were restrained from providing security for the polls.
The judge ordered all parties to maintain the status quo until the substantive suit, in which the APC challenges the propriety of the elections, is resolved.
The case is scheduled for hearing on August 2, when all defendants are to appear in court.
APC’s acting Chairman, Tony Okocha, stated that the party filed the suit due to INEC’s failure to adhere to the Electoral Act.
0
0
