A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has struck out a suit filed by lawyer Williams Abayomi-Stanley. The suit was against President Bola Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Rivers State Sole Administrator, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), and its Chairman.
The case challenged the conduct of the recent local government elections in the state. Abayomi-Stanley asked the court to declare the appointment of the Sole Administrator by President Tinubu illegal. He also questioned the appointment of the RSIEC Chairman and its members by the Sole Administrator to conduct the August 30 local government elections. In his ruling, Justice Stephen Jumbo said the court did not have the jurisdiction to hear the case. He explained that only the Supreme Court has the authority to handle such matters during a period of emergency rule.
The judge also stated that the claimant failed to prove he would suffer any harm if the issues raised were not addressed. He noted that the lawyer appeared to be trying to protect the interests of the governor, despite not being the governor himself.
