The Federal High Court in Abuja has commenced hearing in a suit challenging an alleged move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to relocate the Ideato Federal Constituency collation centre from Urualla in Ideato North Local Government Area to Dikenafai in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State.

The suit, filed by concerned residents of the constituency, seeks to stop the proposed relocation and compel scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the alleged decision ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The plaintiffs, Chief Chinaemerem Udorji and Faith Umeh, have joined INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation as defendants in the action.

They are challenging what they described as a secretive process allegedly undertaken without consultation with relevant stakeholders in Ideato and purportedly justified by a security report whose authenticity and basis they have put in issue before the court.

The plaintiffs are also seeking judicial scrutiny of the role of INEC’s Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Isa Magaji, and relevant officials of the commission over the alleged relocation plan.

In their affidavit supporting the application, the plaintiffs stated that Ideato North and Ideato South constitute the Ideato Federal Constituency and that Urualla has historically served as the collation centre for presidential and National Assembly elections in the constituency.

They claimed that they became aware on September 21, 2026, of an alleged plan to move the centre from Urualla to Dikenafai.

The plaintiffs further alleged that the proposed relocation was being driven by partisan interests seeking electoral advantage.

That allegation, however, remains a matter for determination by the court.

They also alleged that officials said to have assessed the security situation failed to adequately engage stakeholders in the constituency before the purported recommendation.

According to the affidavit, the officials allegedly remained in Owerri during their assignment and relied on information supplied by persons the plaintiffs described as partisan actors instead of conducting an independent assessment within Ideato.

The plaintiffs contend that the alleged security justification requires close judicial examination, particularly against the backdrop of what they described as the absence of consultation with relevant stakeholders.

They are consequently asking the court to restrain INEC from implementing the proposed relocation pending determination of the substantive issues raised in the suit.

The action also challenges the legal and administrative basis for allegedly altering the established arrangement for the federal constituency’s collation centre.

The controversy assumes significance because INEC itself identifies federal constituency collation as a formal stage in the electoral results-management process, with the Federal Constituency Collation Officer responsible for collating results from the LGAs within the constituency.

INEC’s current public locator confirms the existence of its Ideato North LGA office at the LGA Secretariat in Urualla, while its Ideato South LGA office is listed behind the LGA Secretariat in Dikenafai.

The plaintiffs maintain that the dispute is not about partisan advantage but about transparency, due process, stakeholder participation and public confidence in the administration of the 2027 elections.

They want the court to determine whether the commission followed the applicable legal and administrative procedures before allegedly moving to alter the location of the constituency’s collation centre.

The plaintiffs, described in the suit as citizens and registered voters of Ideato North, contend that they would be directly affected by any decision altering the arrangements for election administration and result collation in the constituency.

They have therefore urged the court to intervene and ensure that any change affecting the Ideato Federal Constituency collation centre is made lawfully, transparently and through an appropriate process.

The matter is now before the Federal High Court in Abuja for determination, with the allegations against INEC officials yet to be established by the court. (Daily Independent)