BREAKING: Court Takes Action on Order Seeking to Stop Rivers LG Polls
- The court has taken decision on the suit seeking to stop the scheduled August 30 Local Government elections in Rivers state
- The presiding judge of the Rivers state high court, Justice Stephen Jumbo, in his ruling on Thursday, August 28, dismissed the suit for lacking substance
- Justice Stephen Jumbo adjourned the case to September 10, 2025, for hearing on the substantive suit
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Rivers state - The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed a motion experte seeking to stop the August 30 local government elections in the state.
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Court okays Rivers LGA polls
The presiding judge, Justice Stephen Jumbo, made the pronouncement while ruling in a suit filed by a Port Harcourt based lawyer, Williams Abayomi-Stanley.
As reported by the Nation, the lawyer filed the suit against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Attorney-General of the Federation, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and its chairman.
Justice Jumbo dismissed the motion experte, saying it lacked merit.
The judge, however, granted a motion experte for substituted service to the defendants.
As reported by The Punch, the judge also directed that the conduct of the August 30th Local Government Council elections should go ahead as scheduled and adjourned and till 10th of September, 2025 for hearing on the substantive suit.
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Why the case was in court
The lawyer to the claimant, Godsent Elewa, said his client was in court to seek the interpretation of a section of RSIEC law and Constitution of Nigeria as amended on whether the President has the legal powers to appoint a Chairman and members of RSIEC to conduct local government council elections in the state.
Elewa welcomed the ruling of the court and expressed his readiness to continue with the proceeding on the next adjourned date.
Rivers assembly issues arrest warrant against RSIEC boss
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Rivers state house of assembly issued a warrant for the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), to appear before it.
The Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly issued the arrest warrant on Monday, March 10, during plenary, after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for the electoral chief to appear before the House.
Enebeli had fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh local government (LG) poll in the state.
Rivers LG polls: Observers fault Fubara for post-election crisis
In a similar development, Legit.ng reported that the Independent election observers strongly condemned the violence that followed the recent Rivers State LG polls conducted in 2024.
They attributed the unrest to the involvement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara's supporters and non-state actors.
Legit.ng reports that the violence, which included arson attacks, occurred amidst allegations of election irregularities and a disregard for court rulings.
Fubara: Pro-Wike lawmakers revive impeachment plot
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Rivers state house of assembly accused Governor Fubara of violating the Nigerian constitution.
The lawmakers accused Fubara of appointing people to serve as commissioners without their approval.
The accusation against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor came two days after the pro-Wike lawmakers—in a letter signed by the speaker, Amaewhule—handed Fubara 48 hours to present the 2025 budget to them and five days after Wike said the governor has committed impeachable offences.
Source: Legit.ng
