The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has approached the Imo State High Court seeking an order to stop the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) from conducting the state’s local government elections scheduled for September 26, 2026.

The suit, filed at the Owerri Judicial Division, is challenging the process leading to the planned council elections.

In Suit No. HOW/1380/2026, filed on September 16, APGA and four members of its state executive are seeking an injunction restraining ISIEC and its chairman from proceeding with the election pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The plaintiffs argued that the 360-day Notice of Election issued by ISIEC on September 18, 2025, was defective because it failed to state the specific date for the election, which they said was required by law.

They further argued that ISIEC’s subsequent announcement on September 11, 2026, fixing the council poll for September 26 could not correct what they described as the defect in the earlier notice.

APGA cites Supreme Court judgment

APGA relied on a 2025 Supreme Court judgment concerning local government elections in Rivers State, arguing that electoral bodies must strictly comply with statutory requirements, including provisions relating to the Notice of Election and the voters’ register.

The party also raised questions over the law applicable to the 2025 notice, noting that the Electoral Act 2022 under which the notice was issued has since been repealed and replaced by the Electoral Act 2026, which came into effect in February 2026.

The plaintiffs are also challenging ISIEC’s compliance with statutory requirements concerning the Register of Voters.

They specifically questioned whether the commission complied with the requirement relating to the 90-day period for the cessation of voter registration and revision before the election.

The suit is therefore asking the Imo State High Court to intervene and restrain ISIEC from proceeding with the September 26 local government elections until the legal issues raised by APGA are determined.

The case could determine whether the planned council elections will proceed as scheduled or face further legal hurdles.