The court of appeal in Abuja has nullified the judgment of a
federal high court in the nation’s capital, which barred the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register to the
Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the conduct of the
state LG polls.
On September 30, Peter Lifu, a federal high court judge,
stopped the INEC from releasing the voter register to RSIEC.
The judge also restrained the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and
other security agencies from providing security during the polls.
However, delivering judgment in an appeal challenging the
high court’s judgment, Onyekachi Otisi, who led the appellate court special
panel, held that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the
matter.
Otisi also ruled that the subject matter of the suit ought
not to have been brought before the lower court.
He added that the court cannot adjudicate over issues
relating to the LG election.
Consequently, the appellate court set aside the judgment of
the federal high court.
The Rivers state local government council election was
conducted on October 5.
Adolphus Enebeli, chairman of RSIEC, declared that the
Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 of the 23 LGAs in the state.
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