Peter Obi’s Support Group Sues INEC

The Peter Obi Support Network has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission to a Federal High Court in Abuja following its decision to stop the Continuous Voter Registration until at least 90 days to the 2023 general election.

The plaintiff in the suit with No FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022 filed on its behalf by a law firm, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN) & Co., argued that the abrupt termination of the voter registration exercise would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters during the 2023 presidential election.

The suit seeks, among other things, an order compelling INEC to reverse its earlier directive halting the CVR exercise across the country on July 31, 2022, and to declare as ultra vires the commission’s decision to put a timeline on the CVR exercise outside the timeline provided by the 2022 Electoral Act, as amended.

The Plaintiffs raised the following issues for determination:

“Whether having regards to the combined provisions of Sections 76(2), 77(2), 116(2), 117(2), 132(2) & (5) and 178 (2) & (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, the Defendant can or has the right or latitude to stop the continuous voter registration on 31st July, 2022, about over Seven and Half (71/2) months (208 days), or any other day not until ninety (90) days before the General Elections when there are millions of prospective voters including the Plaintiffs who have not Registered and are willing to do so.”

The Plaintiffs prayed the court for the following reliefs:

“A declaration that the defendant is expected pursuant to the provisions of Sections 76(2), 77(2), 116(2), 117(2), 132(2) & (5) and 178 (2) & (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 voter registration, update and revision of voters’ register till 90 days before the General Election billed to take place on 25th February, 2023 and 11th March, 2023.