NIGERIA: Supreme Court Nullifies Rivers Local Government Election Over Electoral Violations

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

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

Delivering the judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur held that the election process was riddled with irregularities and blatant disregard for the provisions of the law guiding electoral conduct in Nigeria.

Justice Tukur declared the election void, emphasizing that the RSIEC failed to adhere to the mandatory provisions of the Electoral Act and the commission’s own guidelines.

One of the highlighted infractions was the commission’s decision to continue voter registration even after the official election date had been announced — a clear violation of the legal framework governing credible polls.

The court further noted that the processes leading to the election were hurriedly conducted, falling short of the standards outlined in Section 150 of the Electoral Act, which mandates proper procedures and timelines for electoral processes at all levels of government.

With this ruling, all local government chairmen who emerged from the disputed election have been sacked, leaving the fate of local governance in Rivers State uncertain until a fresh, law-compliant election is organized.