Supreme court overturns Rivers State local government polls

The Supreme Court has overturned the October 5, 2024, local government election in Rivers State, declaring it null and void. In a unanimous ruling on Friday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court upheld an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Supreme Court overturned a November 21, 2024, Court of Appeal ruling in Abuja that had upheld the election results.

In the lead judgment delivered by Jamilu Tukurt, the Supreme Court ruled that there was no evidence proving that the conditions outlined in Section 150(3) of the Electoral Act were met before the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted the elections.

On September 30, Federal High Court Judge Peter Lifu barred INEC from releasing the voter register to RSIEC. He also issued an order restraining the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies from providing security for the elections.

However, on November 21, a special panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, stating that local government election matters should not have been brought before the high court.

The Supreme Court has now overturned that decision, reinstating the Federal High Court’s ruling and nullifying the election. The panel ruled that issues concerning local government elections should not have been presented before the high court.