A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise.
In a judgment delivered, Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that going by the date of the verdict, INEC would have had “just a few days away from 90 days before the general elections.
Justice Ekwo, however, declared that INEC “is expected 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 9 (1), 9 (6), 10 (1) and 12 (1) of the Electoral Acts, 2022, to continue voters registration, update and revision of voters register until 90 days before the General Election billed to take place on Feb. 25 and March 11.
“It is the constitutional responsibility of the defendant (INEC) to make sure that every prospective Nigeria voter who have shown desire to register to vote are not deprived, their civil right to register and participate in the forthcoming general elections scheduled to teke place on 25th February, 2023 and 11th March, 2023.”
Justice Ekwo said; “This court is unable to grant relief number 3 of the plaintiffs because going by the date of this judgement, from the date of this judgement, the defendant will have just a few days away from 90 days before the general elections of 25th February, 2023 and 11th March, 2023.”
Four plaintiffs; Anajat Salmat, Mr Earnest Stanley, Chief Charles Okafor and Mr Samuel Oluwakemi had sued INEC for discontinued the voter registration exercise on July 31.
INEC was the sole defendant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1343/2022.
