Court Bars INEC from Releasing Voter Register for LG Elections in Kwara Pending PDP’s Suit 

Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court, Abuja, has again restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from releasing the National Voter’s Register to states for the conduct of local government councils elections.

A few days ago, Justice Lifu had ordered the national electoral body not to release the national voter’s register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (Rivers SIEC) as requested for the conduct of the planned LG polls, on the grounds that the Commission was yet to update the register as required by law.

Similarly, the court, on Monday, barred INEC from releasing same register of voters in Kwara State to the State Independent Electoral Commission Kwara (SIEC), pending the determination of a suit challenging the release of the said register.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is challenging the propriety of the use of the national voter’s register for the conduct of the September 21 local government elections in Kwara State.

Pending the hearing and determination of the main suit, the PDP through its lead counsel, Mr Kehinde Ogunwunmiju, SAN, filed an exparte application praying the court to stop the Kwara SIEC from taking any further steps in the conduct of the LG polls, until the issue of voter’s register is resolved.

Delivering his ruling, in the expart, the court made an order restraining the KwaraSIEC and the State Attorney General (AG) from receiving, accepting or using the national voter register or any part relating to Kwara State from the electoral body for the council’s election in Kwara state.

Justice Lifu also restrained the Inspector General (IG) of Police, and the State Security Service (SSS) from participating in or providing protection for the conduct of local government elections in Kwara State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by PDP for interlocutory injunction.

The plaintiff predicated its request on the grounds that the Kwara State Electoral body was in grievous contravention, breach and violation of Sections 9, 28, 29 and 106 of the Electoral Act 2022, Sections 20 (1) and 21 (1) of Kwara State Local Government Electoral (Amendment) Law, 2024.

Plaintiff further submitted that all the conditions and precedents contained in Local Government Electoral Laws in Kwara State have been deliberately jettisoned and violated under unacceptable circumstances.

Among others, the PDP claimed to be a duly registered political party in Nigeria, eligible to participate and field candidates to contest elections in Nigeria including the Kwara State Local Government Elections 2024 sought to be conducted by the defendants.

 Alex Enumah

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