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Confusion Trails Rivers LG Election Amid Conflicting Court Rulings on INEC Voters’ Register
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Uncertainty has shrouded the planned local government election in Rivers State, following the setting aside of all steps taken so far by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) towards the conduct of the October 5 polls.
Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court in Abuja, who set aside all the processes taken by the Rivers State Government, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter’s register used in the conduct of the 2023 general election to the Rivers SIEC for the purpose of conducting the October 5, 2024 local government elections in the state.
Besides, Justice Lifu, in a judgment delivered on Monday, also restrained the Inspector General (IG) of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the said election.
This latest order by Justice Lifu however, runs contrary to an earlier order issued by a High Court in Rivers State, which had cleared the coast for the conduct of the October 5 polls.
Justice I. Igwe of the Rivers State High Court had, in a judgment delivered on September 4, ordered the Rivers State electoral body to conduct the October 5 council polls using the 2023 voter’s register.
In making the order, Justice Igwe had held that the defendants are bound by Section 7, Subsection 1 of the Constitution and Section 5 (A) of RSIEC Law Number 2 of 2018 to make provisions and conduct the local government polls within the shortest possible time, especially following the expiration of the tenure of the former elected officials on June 17.
Besides, Justice Igwe observed that the Federal Government has urged states without democratically elected local governments to do so within three months, following the Supreme Court’s judgment on local government autonomy.
The Rivers High Court subsequently ordered that all necessary arrangements be made to ensure the conduct of the election on October 5, 2024, as announced by RSIEC.
But with the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, it is not certain the order INEC, Police and DSS would obey considering the fact that both courts are of equal jurisdiction.
While the suit in Rivers was filed by the All People’s Party (APP), that of Abuja was filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which claimed that before the RSIEC can announce the date for the conduct of the local government elections, the voter’s register from INEC to be used for the polls must be updated and published 90 days to the poll.
APC argued that since this has not been done, the court should intervene by ordering INEC not to release the voter’s register used in Rivers State during the last general election.
Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff that all processes for the conduct of the October 5 council polls has not been fully complied with hence the need to restrain INEC and security agencies from participating in the election.
It is the position of the court that the update and revision of the voter’s register ought to have been concluded before a date for the conduct of the polls can be fixed.
The judge therefore ordered INEC not to make the certified voter’s register available to RSIEC until the law has been fully complied with.
Justice Lifu also barred RSIEC from accepting any voter’s register from INEC or using it for the purpose of the October 5 local governments poll.
Earlier, the court dismissed nine preliminary objections filed by the defendants against the suit for lacking in merit.
The court also struck down Section 60(2) of the Rivers Electoral Act, 2018, signed by former governor and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, for being inconsistent with the constitution, pointing out that the said law restricted access to justice by aggrieved persons.
Justice Lifu also held that his court has the necessary jurisdiction to entertain the case of the plaintiff because INEC and the security agencies who were defendants in the suit are federal agencies.
The court also settled the issue of representation of the APC in favour of the nation as against the state.t
A the hearing, the Rivers State APC had through its lawyer, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), applied for the withdrawal of the suit but, Justice Lifu held that the state chapter of the APC is not a juristic person and had also failed to prove that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC had instructed them to take any steps in respect of the case before him.
According to the judge, it is only the National Legal Adviser of the party and the NWC that could engage a counsel to represent the party in any court case, adding that Chief Joseph Daudu and Ogwu Onoja both SANs were duly engaged to represent the APC in the suit.
The court subsequently struck out all the submissions of the Rivers State APC in the suit.
Meanwhile, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN), who represented the Rivers APC, told journalists shortly after the judgment that his client would appeal the judgment of Justice Lifu at the appropriate time.
The Emir of Gumel in Jigawa State, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, has died.
The monarch passed away on Thursday in Egypt.
His death has thrown the people of the Gumel Emirate and residents of Jigawa State into mourning, with tributes expected to continue to pour in from across the state and beyond.
The death of the respected traditional ruler is a significant loss to his family, associates and the entire Gumel community. Prayers have been offered for Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Aljannatul Firdaus.
Prayers were also offered for Allah to grant his family, loved ones and the people of Gumel the strength and patience to bear the loss.
The death of the Emir represents a major loss to the Gumel Emirate, given the important role traditional institutions play in promoting peace, unity, cultural values and community development.
The Gumel Emirate is one of the historic traditional institutions in northern Nigeria, with a rich heritage and longstanding influence in the social and cultural affairs of its people.
As Emir, the late Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, CON, served as custodian of the traditional institution and provided leadership to the people of the emirate.
His passing is expected to be deeply felt by members of the royal family, traditional title holders, community leaders and residents across the emirate.
United States federal agents have nabbed a podcaster, Azariah Southworth, in Los Angeles over allegations that he threatened to kill US President Donald Trump.
According to New York Post on Thursday, Southworth was taken into federal custody in Los Angeles following an investigation into the alleged threats against Trump.
Southworth is known for hosting the Yass, Jesus podcast and previously hosted the Christian television programme, The Remix. His arrest has brought federal authorities’ attention to statements allegedly made by him concerning the president.
The allegations against Southworth have not been established in court, and details of any criminal charges filed against him were not immediately available in the report. Federal authorities typically investigate threats against the president as potential federal offences.
US law prohibits knowingly and willfully threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict bodily harm on the president. Such cases can result in federal prosecution if investigators determine that a statement meets the legal threshold for a criminal threat.
Federal authorities have pursued similar cases involving alleged threats against Trump in recent years.
The US Department of Justice has previously announced charges and convictions involving people accused of making threats against the president online and through other forms of communication.
Authorities have also stressed in previous cases that an arrest or criminal charge does not establish guilt. Prosecutors are required to prove the allegations in court, while defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.
Southworth’s arrest comes amid continued security concerns surrounding threats against Trump and other US public officials. Further details about the allegations, possible charges and Southworth’s next court appearance are expected to emerge as the federal case proceeds.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced a city-wide desilting of drainage channels following heavy torrential rainfalls that triggered flash floods across parts of the nation’s capital.
Inspecting the ongoing clearance operations along the Airport Expressway on Thursday, Mr Richard Dauda, acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), said the exercise was directed by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike.
The directive followed a flash flood that flooded the Airport Expressway on Tuesday.
According to Dauda, the effort is to mitigate flood risks during the peak of the rainy season.
Dauda noted that while recent downpours align with earlier meteorological warnings and climate change trends, the Abuja Master Plan inherently recognises certain areas, including the Airport Expressway axis as flood plains.
He assured residents that while resilient infrastructure was originally built to handle high water volumes, human activities have severely compromised its efficiency.
“Some of these drainage facilities over time have been silted. Part of the cause is residents dumping refuse into drainage channels.
“When rain falls, it washes down polythene bags, waste, and even large objects that block the outlets,” he said.
Dauda highlighted two major human factors aggravating the flash floods: illegal development and widespread infrastructure vandalism.
Exposing a major choke point along the expressway, Dauda pointed to a triple-cell box culvert meant to discharge a powerful stream flowing from the Galadima Roundabout.
He explained that a private developer had illegally constricted the waterway further downstream by constructing retaining walls to expand a personal plot.
“What that causes is that the volume of water that ought to pass no longer passes, causing detention, backflow, and eventual flooding.
“To restore adequate discharge capacity, we must remove the structures built by this developer,” he said.
Dauda also decried the theft of metal gully inlet covers by vandals, which allows large debris to flow directly into underground drains instead of being sieved at the surface.
“When vandals steal these covers, it’s like stealing from yourself as a taxpayer,” he remarked.
To permanently curb the theft, he revealed that the FCDA is exploring replacement materials made from non-recyclable compounds rather than steel or cast iron.
The FCDA boss confirmed that workers were already desilting trapezoidal drains, U-channels, and culvert outlets along the Airport Expressway, with plans to reconstruct damaged points where necessary.
Dauda urged Abuja residents to stop dumping refuse into waterways, warning that government infrastructure can only protect the city if public cooperation is guaranteed.
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