The Supreme Court has annulled the local government election held on October 5, 2024, by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
In a ruling delivered on February 28, a five-member panel of judges, led by Justice Jamilu Tukur, declared the election invalid due to severe violations of the Electoral Act.
Justice Tukur, while reading the judgment, emphasized that the actions of RSIEC were void because they failed to substantially comply with the Electoral Act and its guidelines. The court noted that voter registration continued even after the election date was announced, further violating the law. The court concluded that the electoral processes leading up to the election were severely shortened, breaching Section 150 of the Electoral Act.