Supreme Court Nullifies Election of Rivers Local Government Chairmen

The Supreme Court has annulled the local government election conducted on October 5, 2024, by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, February 28, a five-member panel of judges led by Justice Jamilu Tukur declared the election invalid for grossly violating the Electoral Act.

Reading the judgment, Justice Tukur stated that the actions of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission were declared void due to a lack of substantial compliance with the Electoral Act and guidelines. He noted that the electoral body continued voter registration even after announcing the election date.

The court held that the processes leading to the conduct of the local government election were abridged in clear violation of Section 150 of the Electoral Act.