The Supreme Court has invalidated the local government elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on October 5, 2024, citing significant breaches of the Electoral Act.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur ruled that the election was null and void due to a lack of substantial compliance with electoral laws and guidelines. According to the court, RSIEC failed to adhere to proper procedures, particularly by continuing voter registration after officially announcing the election date.

Justice Tukur emphasized that the electoral commission’s actions violated Section 150 of the Electoral Act, which outlines the necessary procedures for conducting local government elections.

The court further noted that the hurried process leading up to the election compromised its credibility, rendering the entire exercise unlawful.

More to come…