LG Elections: Court Restrains INEC From Making Electoral Roll Available To KWSIEC, Asks Police, DSS Not To Provide Security

Justice Peter Lifu  of the  Federal High Court , Abuja, has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from making  the electoral register  available to the Kwara state Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC)  ahead of the local governments elections scheduled to hold in the State of Harmony on  September 21, 2024.

The court  has also restrained  KWSIEC and  Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Kwara state from receiving the  electoral roll or any part relating to Kwara state from the federal electoral body.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Justice Peter Lifu issued the restraining order in question  on Monday in Abuja while delivering his ruling in an ex-parte application filed by the PDP.

The ex-parte application was filed by Kehinde Ogunwumiju.,a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

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

The  PDP had accused KWISIEC of breaching and violating  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.

The party  claimed that all the conditions and precedents contained in Local Government Electoral Laws in Kwara state have been deliberately jettisoned and violated under unacceptable circumstances.

 PDP also asserted that it is a duly registered political party in the country, eligible to participate and field candidates for elections including the upcoming Kwara state Local Government Elections 2024.

It alleged that 2nd defendant (KWSIEC) has applied to the 1st defendant (INEC) for the electoral roll  for Kwara state for the purpose of using it for  the conduct of  the Local Government elections, which  is in breach and violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 and Kwara state Local Government Electoral (Amendment) Law, 2024.

PDP also submitted  that  filing  the ex-parte application was done  in the interest of justice for the maintenance of the status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction and that granting the application will serve the interest of justice.

Justice Lifu  later ordered all the defendants in the suit to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the Plaintiff’s Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction this was not however without a quid pro quo as he ordered  the PDP to enter into a fresh undertaking to indemnify the five defendants at a cost that will be determined  by the court in the event that its application turns out to be frivolous and ought not to have been granted by the court.

The defendants in the suit are INEC, KWSIEC, Kwara Attorney General, IGP and SSS as 1st to 5th defendants respectively-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you