INEC must transmit gov polls results electronically – Court

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to directly and electronically upload the results of the upcoming governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Lagos State from polling units to the IReV.

Justice Peter Lifu issued the order while delivering judgement on a suit filed by the Labour Party and 41 others seeking a mandamus order compelling INEC to follow the Electoral Act and its guidelines for election conduct.

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The judge determined that the court had jurisdiction to hear the case because it was filed in accordance with the law.

He also ruled that the suit’s subject matter was not a pre-election issue because the relief sought by the applicants dealt with election preparation rather than election conduct.

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According to Justice Lifu, all the applicants were attempting to do was compel the electoral body to comply with the Constitution, its regulations, and guidelines, after failing to do so during the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25.

As a result, the court granted the applicants “an order of mandamus directing and compelling the defendant and all its agents and privies or any persons acting under their directions to comply with and enforce the provision of Clause 37 of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022 for the conduct of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Lagos State on 11 March 2023, namely: Mandating the Presiding Officer of all Polling Units to presiding over all polling units.”