Court stops INEC from ending voter registration

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to end the voter registration on June 30.

 Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon yesterday granted an order of interim injunction in a motion ex parte filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). 

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SERAP and 185 concerned Nigerians had early this month filed the lawsuit against INEC asking the court to “Declare unconstitutional, illegal and incompatible with international standards the failure of the electoral body to extend the deadline for voter registration to allow eligible Nigerians to exercise their rights.”

 The suit followed the decision by INEC to extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties by six days from June 3 to June 9.

 The plaintiffs wondered why the commission failed to also extend the online pre-registration, which ended May 30 and the Continuous Voter Registration ending June 30, 2022. 

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1034/2022 filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos and transferred to Abuja, SERAP asked the court for “A declaration that the failure of INEC to extend the deadline for voter registration is a violation of eligible Nigerians’ rights to participate freely in their government, equality, and equal protection.” 

The suit has been adjourned to June 29 for the hearing of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.