A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Thursday dismissed an application seeking to stop the August 30 local government elections in the state.
The presiding judge, Justice Stephen Jumbo, ruled that the motion ex parte filed by a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Williams Abayomi-Stanley, lacked merit.
Naija News reports that Justice Jumbo directed that the polls must go on as scheduled by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
He, however, granted another ex parte motion for substituted service on the defendants, including President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, RSIEC, and its Chairman.
The matter was adjourned until September 10, 2025, for the hearing of the substantive suit.
Counsel Reacts
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, counsel to the claimant, Godsent Elewa, explained that his client was seeking a constitutional interpretation on whether the President had the power to appoint the RSIEC’s chairman and members to conduct local polls in the state.
“My client, Williams Stanley-Abayomi, is a constitutional lawyer and an indigene of Rivers State from Emuoha LGA. The applicant basically is in court to seek the interpretation of sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 12, 2018, and sections 197, 198, and 200 of the 1999 Constitution as altered,” he said.
One Motion Dismissed, One Granted
Elewa explained that the application involved two motions. He said: “We have two motions ex parte. The first was for an interim injunction to restrain the conduct of the August 30 local government elections. Unfortunately, the court dismissed that motion as it lacked merit and adjourned to September 10 for all parties to be served and for us to argue the main application.
“The second was for substituted service on the first and second defendants, President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation. That order was granted.”
Elewa added that he welcomed the ruling, especially as one of the prayers was successful, stressing that his team was ready to proceed when the case resumes.
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