The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ruled in favour of the Rivers State Local Government elections conducted under Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration.
This decision overturns an earlier Federal High Court judgment that nullified the polls.
The ruling delivered on Thursday reaffirmed the legitimacy of the local government elections and provided clarity on the jurisdiction of the lower courts.
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) declared the Action Peoples Party (APP) as the winner in 22 out of the 23 local government areas.
The announcement was made by the RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd), at the commission’s office in Port Harcourt.
Justice Enebeli explained that the election covered all 6,866 polling units in the state, with participation from 18 political parties.
However, the results for Etche Local Government Area and the 319 councillorship positions remain pending due to ongoing collation.
Dissatisfied with the results, the All Progressives Congress (APC) approached the Federal High Court to nullify the elections.
The APC claimed that the process violated the Electoral Act and succeeded in getting a favorable judgment from the lower court.
This decision caused controversy in Rivers State, with many questioning the implications for local governance.
In a dramatic turn, the Court of Appeal quashed the Federal High Court’s ruling, stating that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the APC’s case.
The appellate court emphasized that local government elections are outside the purview of the Electoral Act, which governs only national and state-level polls.
The court’s decision reinforced the independence of local election processes under state law.
“The Federal High Court overstepped its bounds,” the judgment read. “The Electoral Act does not apply to local government elections.”
The Court of Appeal’s decision is a significant win for Governor Fubara’s administration, which has faced criticism over the election process.
Political analysts see the ruling as a validation of the governor’s leadership and the transparency of the RSIEC.
Supporters of the administration celebrated the decision, calling it a triumph for democracy in Rivers State.
“This ruling strengthens the autonomy of local government elections,” said a legal expert familiar with the case.
The APC expressed disappointment with the appellate court’s judgment, accusing the RSIEC of bias and irregularities during the election.
A party spokesperson hinted at the possibility of escalating the matter to the Supreme Court.
“We remain committed to seeking justice,” the spokesperson stated.
Despite this, political observers believe the Appeal Court’s decision has solidified the legitimacy of the elections.
