The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday has banned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from stopping the registration of voter’s card on June 30, 2022.
Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon granted an order after the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project ‘SERAP’.
BizWatch Nigeria reports that SERAP and 185 other concerned Nigerians had filed a lawsuit against the electoral commission 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”.
SERAP in its suit against INEC had asked the court for “an order restraining INEC, its agents, privies, assigns, or any other person(s) claiming through it from discontinuing the continuous voters’ registration exercise from the 30th June 2022 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”.
The court adjourned to June 29, 2022, for the hearing of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.
SERAP is asking 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 own government, equality, and equal protection”.
The group also asked for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to extend voter registration by a minimum of three months and take effective measures to ensure that eligible Nigerians are able to register to exercise their right to vote in the 2023 general elections”.
