In what appeared like Double Jeopardy, Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State against has the local government election conducted on the 5th of October 2024 by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission has been declared invalid by the Supreme Court.
This is coming the same day the apex court asked both the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation to block all allocations to the state until the crisis in the state assembly is resolved.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, the court declared the election invalid for grossly violating the Electoral Act.
Reading the judgement, Justice Tukur said the action of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission is declared void for lack of substantial compliance to the Electoral Act and guidelines as the electoral body continued voter registration even after announcing an election date.
The court held that processes leading to the conduct of a local government election were abridged in clear violation of Section 150 of the Electoral Act.
More to follow…
