The Supreme Court has fixed February 10 to determine two suits brought before it by the All Progressives Congress, APC, challenging the legality or otherwise of the election conducted for local governments in Rivers State last year.
The Apex Court fixed the date on Tuesday after clearing all preliminary issues raised by parties involved in the legal battle.
A 5-man panel of Justices of the Court led by Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji after disposing off all motions in respect of the two appeals, ordered lawyers to parties to file and exchange their respective brief of arguments for and against before the adjourned date.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had last year issued an order which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from releasing voter register to Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, for the purpose of conducting the Council election.
Justice Peter Lifu, who issued the order, predicated his decision on the fact that conditions precedent for such elections were not followed by the Rivers Local Government Electoral commission.
Justice Lifu also barred the Inspector General of Police, IGP, and the Director General of the Department of the State Security Service, DSS, from participating or providing security protection for any local government election in Rivers State.
The Judge also barred RSIEC and the State Attorney General from accepting voter register from INEC or using any part of the register for the conduct of any local government poll.
Justice Lifu’s judgment was in respect of the APC’s suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/987/2024.
However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja in a judgment voided and set aside the decisions of Justice Lifu on the ground that his court lacked jurisdiction to issue the orders he granted in favour of the APC.
Not satisfied with the Court of Appeal verdict, the APC filed two separate appeals marked SC/CV/1106/2024 and SC/CV/1106/2024 praying the Supreme Court to reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeal and to restore that of the Federal High Court delivered in its favour.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Joseph Bodunde Daudu and Ogwu James Onoja, both SANS stood for the APC along with other lawyers while Chris Uche SAN accompanied by several counsel represented respondents in the matter.