The Supreme Court is set to hear two appeals filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the legality of the 2024 Local Government (LG) elections conducted in Rivers State.
The court took up the case after completing preliminary proceedings led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who presided over a five-member panel. The panel ordered all parties involved to file and exchange their briefs before February 10, 2025, ahead of the hearing.
The appeals challenge a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which overturned an earlier decision by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Justice Lifu had initially restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the conduct of the elections.
Justice Lifu’s ruling, delivered in response to the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024 filed by the APC, was based on the argument that RSIEC had not met the necessary conditions for conducting the local government elections.
However, the Court of Appeal later reversed this decision, ruling that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and issue the orders.
With the matter now before the Supreme Court, the legal battle over the legitimacy of the Rivers LG elections is set to continue, potentially impacting the political landscape in the state.
