The Supreme Court is set to hear two appeals filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the legality of the Local Government (LG) election conducted in Rivers State in 2024.
The court is hearing the suit following the conclusion of the preliminary proceedings by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, who led a five-member panel that ordered parties to file and exchange their respective briefs before the 10th of February, 2025.
The appeals are against a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which reversed an earlier decision by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the LG election.
Justice Lifu had predicated his decision (in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024 filed by the APC) on the grounds that conditions precedent for the conduct of such election were not met by RSIEC.
In reversing the Federal High Court judgment, the Court of Appeal held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and issue the orders.
