The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has approached the High Court of Imo State, Owerri Judicial Division, seeking to stop the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) from conducting the state’s local government elections scheduled for September 26, 2026.
In Suit No. HOW/1380/2026, filed on September 16, APGA and four members of its state executive are asking the court to restrain ISIEC and its chairman from proceeding with the election pending the determination of the substantive case.
The plaintiffs are challenging the validity of ISIEC’s 360-day Notice of Election issued on September 18, 2025, arguing that the notice did not specify the date fixed for the election, which they contend was contrary to the requirements of the Electoral Act.
APGA further argued that ISIEC’s subsequent announcement on September 11, 2026, fixing September 26 as the election date came too late and, in its view, could not correct the alleged defect in the earlier notice.
The party also cited a 2025 Supreme Court judgment concerning the Rivers State local government elections, arguing that statutory requirements relating to election notices and voters’ registers must be strictly complied with.
Another issue raised by APGA concerns the change in electoral legislation. The plaintiffs argued that the Electoral Act 2022, under which the September 2025 notice was issued, had been repealed by the Electoral Act 2026, which commenced in February 2026.
They are also questioning whether ISIEC complied with the statutory requirements governing the Register of Voters, including the required 90-day period for the cessation of registration, updating and revision of the register.
The legal challenge comes ahead of the September 26 election, which ISIEC has scheduled for the state’s local government councils.
The court is expected to consider APGA’s application and the issues raised concerning the legality of the electoral process.
