A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has cleared the way for the August 30 local government elections in Rivers State, dismissing an application that sought to halt the process.
Delivering the ruling on Thursday, Justice Stephen Jumbo struck out the motion ex parte filed by Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Williams Abayomi-Stanley, describing it as lacking merit.
With the decision, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has been given the go-ahead to conduct the elections as scheduled.
However, the court granted a separate motion for substituted service on the defendants — including President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, RSIEC, and its Chairman. The case has been adjourned to September 10, 2025, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Counsel Reacts
Speaking after the ruling, counsel to the claimant, Godsent Elewa, clarified that his client was seeking judicial interpretation on whether the President has constitutional powers to appoint the RSIEC chairman and members to oversee local government polls.
According to Elewa:
“My client, Williams Abayomi-Stanley, is a constitutional lawyer and an indigene of Rivers State from Emuoha LGA. He is in court to seek interpretation of sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law No. 12, 2018, alongside sections 197, 198, and 200 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”
One Motion Dismissed, One Granted
Elewa explained that two ex parte motions were filed. The first sought an interim injunction to stop the August 30 polls but was dismissed by the court. The second — a motion for substituted service on Tinubu and the AGF — was granted.
While acknowledging that one prayer was struck out, Elewa welcomed the ruling, saying his team was prepared to continue the legal battle when the matter resumes in September.
