Rivers LG polls: Court reserves judgment in APC’s suit against INEC

A federal high court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of the LG elections in Rivers state.

After lawyers in the suit adopted their processes at the court session on Thursday, Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, said a date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties.

The APC, in an originating summons, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024, is seeking a declaration that “INEC is bound to manage the updating and revising of the voter register in such a manner as to ensure that the process stops not later than 90 days before the council poll”.

The party argued that the state independent electoral commission has not met the conditions required for the conduct of the LG elections in Rivers.

During the hearing, the court listened to all pending preliminary applications, including those seeking joinder brought by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Boot Party, as well as the substantive suit.

Goddy Uche, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), also presented his motion for change of counsel and discontinuance of the suit on behalf of the Rivers chapter of the APC.

Joseph Daudu, the senior counsel for the plaintiff (national APC), prayed the court to grant the reliefs sought.

The respondents challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit, including on the grounds that the matter was statute barred.

The INEC, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), attorney-general of the federation (AGF), inspector-general of police (IGP), and Department of State Service (DSS) are 1st to 5th respondents in the suit.