Court Sacks 13 LGA Chairmen, 171 Councilors in Ebonyi
Federal High Court
From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, on Tuesday sacked 13 local government chairmen and 171 ward councilors in the state.
It is worth recalling that these council chairmen and councilors were elected in July last year.
Justice H.I.O. Oshomah, who presided over the case, stated that the July 2024 local government and councilorship elections in Ebonyi State did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government appeared as the second and third respondents, respectively, in the case.
In its ruling, the court directed the second and third respondents not to conduct any further elections in the state unless such elections comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The court granted most of the reliefs sought by the counsel to the first plaintiff, Hamilton Ogbodo, and the second plaintiff, Chief Mudi Erhenede, including consequential orders related to the matter.
Responding to the ruling, Mr. Ogbodo, counsel to the first plaintiff, Samuel Udeogu, praised the judgment, saying:
“In effect, the local government elections conducted in July 2024 in Ebonyi State have been nullified by this Federal High Court today.
“If the second and third defendants want to act in accordance with the law, they should revert to the status quo ante bellum and obey the court order.
“We are waiting to see their response. If they contravene this ruling, they still have the opportunity to appeal.
“But we expect them to comply with the court order. The local government chairmen have been removed by this court order. The court has done exactly what the law requires because these issues are clearly defined in black and white,” he said.
On his part, Chief Mudi Erhenede, counsel to Isu Amaechi—the second plaintiff said that a previous Federal High Court in Abakaliki, presided over by the late Justice Fatun Rilman, had nullified the 2022 local government and councilorship elections. However, the state government ignored that ruling and proceeded to swear in individuals as elected council chairmen and councilors across the 13 local governments and 171 wards.
He noted that the second and third defendants had appealed Justice Fatun Rilman’s judgment but lost, as the appellate court upheld the nullification.
“This is a case of people who refuse to respect the rule of law and comply with court orders.
“The Federal High Court nullified the 2022 local government elections, but the state, in defiance of the judgment, proceeded to swear in some persons as local government chairmen,” he said.
He commended Justice Oshomah’s ruling on the 2024 elections and urged the court to make the full judgment available as soon as possible.
