The Supreme Court on Tuesday, slated February 10, 2025, to determine two suits brought before it by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the legality or otherwise of the election conducted for Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Rivers State last year.
The Apex Court fixed the date after clearing all preliminary issues raised by parties involved in the matter.
A five-member panel of Justices of the Court led by Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji after disposing of all motions in respect of the two appeals, ordered parties to file and exchange their respective brief of arguments for and against before the next adjourned date.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja had last year issued an order which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from releasing voter register to Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, (RSIEC) to conduct the Council election.
The trial Judge, Justice Peter Lifu, who issued the order, predicated his decision on the fact that conditions precedent for such elections were not followed by the Rivers Local Government Electoral Commission.
Justice Lifu also barred the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director General of the Department of the State Service (DSS) from participating in or providing security protection for any local government election in Rivers State.
The Judge, in the judgment on the APC’s suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024 also barred RSIEC and the State Attorney General from accepting voter registers from INEC or using any part of the register for the conduct of any local government poll.
However, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division in a judgment voided and set aside the decisions of Justice Lifu on the ground that his court lacked jurisdiction to issue the orders he granted in favour of the APC.
Not satisfied with the Court of Appeal verdict, the APC filed two separate appeals marked SC/CV/1106/2024 and SC/CV/1106/2024 praying the Supreme Court to reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeal and restore that of the Federal High Court delivered in its favour.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Joseph Bodunde Daudu and Ogwu James Onoja, both Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stood for the APC along with other lawyers while Chris Uche, SAN accompanied by several counsels represented respondents in the matter.
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