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A Federal High Court in Abuja, has refused to grant the request of four plaintiffs who sued the Independent National Electoral Commission for discontinuing the voter registration exercise on July 31.
In his ruling, the presiding Judge, Inyang Ekwo held that going by the 90 days window period set by the Electoral Act before which the electoral body cannot discontinue voter registration, INEC would have had just a few days to continue with the exercise.
Justice Ekwo, however, upheld two of the plaintiff’s prayers, stating that INEC is expected in pursuant to the provisions of sections 76 (2), 77 (2), 116 (2), 117 (2), 132 (2) & (5) and 178 (2) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as sections of the Electoral Acts, 2022, to continue voter registration, update and revision of voters register until 90 days before the general election billed to take place on Feb. 25 and March 11.’’
The Judge noted that it is the constitutional responsibility of the defendant to ensure that every prospective Nigeria voter who has shown desire to register to vote is not deprived of their civil right to register and participate in the forthcoming general elections.
