Supreme Court Sets February 10 for APC’s Appeals on Rivers Local Government Election

The Supreme Court has scheduled February 10 to deliver its judgment on two appeals filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the legality of the local government elections conducted in Rivers State last year.

A five-member panel of justices, led by Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji, made the announcement on Tuesday after resolving all preliminary issues raised by the parties involved. The panel directed the counsels to the parties to file and exchange their written briefs of argument ahead of the adjourned date.

The appeals stem from a 2024 Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for the purpose of conducting the council elections.

Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment, held that RSIEC failed to meet the conditions required to conduct the elections. The court further barred the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS) from providing security for the elections. Additionally, RSIEC and the Rivers State Attorney General were prohibited from using or accepting any part of the voter register from INEC for the polls.

The APC’s suit at the Federal High Court was marked FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja overturned Justice Lifu’s ruling, declaring that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to grant the orders in favor of the APC.

Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s decision, the APC filed two appeals at the Supreme Court, identified as SC/CV/1106/2024 and SC/CV/1107/2024, seeking to reinstate the Federal High Court’s judgment.

At Tuesday’s session, Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Joseph Bodunde Daudu and Ogwu James Onoja appeared for the APC, while Chris Uche SAN led the legal team representing the respondents.

The Supreme Court’s decision on February 10 is expected to have significant implications for the legal and political landscape in Rivers State.