Court Issues Restraining Order Preventing Inec From Releasing Voters Register For Lg Elections

Abuja-based Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court has once again issued a restraining order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), prohibiting the release of the National Voters Register to states for the purpose of conducting local government council elections.

This development follows a previous order by Justice Lifu, where he directed INEC not to release the national voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (Rivers SIEC). This order was based on the grounds that the register had not been updated as required by law.

Yesterday, the court also barred INEC from releasing the same register of voters in Kwara State to the State Independent Electoral Commission Kwara (SIEC), pending the resolution of a lawsuit challenging the release of the register.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is contesting the validity of using the national voters register for the local government elections scheduled for September 21 in Kwara State.

In light of the ongoing lawsuit, the PDP filed an exparte application requesting the court to halt the Kwara SIEC from proceeding with any further actions related to the conduct of the LG polls until the issue of the voters register is resolved.

In delivering his ruling on the exparte application, Justice Lifu issued an order restraining the Kwara SIEC and the State Attorney General (AG) from receiving, accepting, or using the national voters register or any part of it for the council elections in Kwara State.

Furthermore, Justice Lifu also prohibited the Inspector General of Police (IG) and the State Security Service (SSS) from participating in or providing protection for the local government elections in Kwara State until the motion on notice, filed by PDP for an interlocutory injunction, is heard and determined.

The plaintiff’s argument rests on the claim that the Kwara State Electoral body has flagrantly violated several sections of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Kwara State Local Government Electoral (Amendment) Law 2024.

The PDP argues that the conditions and requirements outlined in the local government electoral laws in Kwara State have been deliberately disregarded and violated under unacceptable circumstances.

Additionally, the PDP maintains its status as a duly registered political party in Nigeria, eligible to participate and field candidates for elections across the country, including the upcoming Kwara State Local Government Elections in 2024.