Ahead of the March 18 gubernatorial election, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to allow the use of temporary voter cards, or TVCs.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order on Thursday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by two Nigerians seeking the use of TVCs in the general elections when permanent voter cards (PVCs) are not available.

According to Justice Egwuatu, the order was made on the grounds that the plaintiffs had been duly registered and captured in INEC’s database prior to the commencement of the general election.

The judge, however, said he was unable to grant prayer three, which was to allow every eligible voter with a TVC to vote, because the suit was not filed in a representative capacity.

“This suit having not been brought in a representative capacity, I find myself unable to grant any relief pursuant to prayer three of the plaintiff’s application.”

According to the court, there was no part of the law—both the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act—that stated that only PVCs could be used in an election, but that the law under Section 47 provided for voter’s cards.