Appeal court nullifies judgment on Rivers LG polls

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.