By Jude Opara
A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has mandated the state Independent Electoral Commission, (RSIEC) to conduct the forthcoming local government elections using the 2023 voters’ register.
The court also ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) to provide necessary protection during the election process.
Justice I. Igwe of High Court No. 14 gave the order in a case instituted by the Action Peoples Party, APP, against the state electoral umpire, the Rivers State Government and the Governor of Rivers State.
In the orders that were given on September 4, but cited by Channels Television yesterday, the judge said the defendants are bound by Section 7, Subsection 1 of the Constitution and Section 5 (A) of RSIEC Law Number 2 of 2018 to make provisions and conduct the local government polls within the shortest possible time, especially following the expiration of the tenure of the former elected officials on June 17.
The Court also cited, as a necessity, the recent decision of the Federal Government mandating states without democratically elected local government to do so within three months, following the Supreme Court’s judgement on local government autonomy.
The court urged that all necessary arrangements be made to ensure the conduct of the election on October 5, 2024, as announced by RSIEC.
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