21, October 2025/Naija 247news
A Federal High Court in Abakaliki has nullified the 2024 local government elections in Ebonyi State, sacking all 13 council chairmen and 171 councillors elected in the polls.
The court ruled that the elections conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) were unconstitutional and violated key provisions of the Electoral Act. Justice Fatun Riman, who delivered the judgment, held that EBSIEC failed to comply with the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act in conducting the local government elections.
The court’s decision is not a new development in Ebonyi State, as a similar judgment was delivered in 2022, which the state government ignored. The court has now ordered EBSIEC and the state government not to conduct further local government elections unless they strictly comply with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
According to the judgment, the plaintiffs, who are aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party, proved their case that the local government elections were marred by irregularities, including the non-display of election results and the failure to give prior notice of the elections as required by law.
The court has directed the affected chairmen and councillors to vacate their offices immediately, and the Federal Government has been ordered to withhold all allocations due to the affected local government councils pending the conduct of fresh, lawful elections.
The development has sparked reactions from stakeholders, with some calling for the state government to respect the court’s decision and ensure that fresh elections are conducted in accordance with the law. Others have expressed concerns about the impact of the judgment on the state’s governance structure and the welfare of the people.
The nullification of the Ebonyi local government elections has raised questions about the credibility of the state’s electoral process and the ability of EBSIEC to conduct free and fair elections. The court’s decision has also highlighted the need for the state government to take steps to address the challenges facing the local government system in Ebonyi, including issues of corruption, mismanagement, and lack of transparency.
The nullification of the Ebonyi local government elections has thrown the state’s local governance structure into turmoil, with many wondering what the next step will be for the state government. The court’s decision is a major blow to the state government, and it remains to be seen how they will respond to the judgment.
(www.naija247news.com)
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Reporting by Favor Akpan, News Writer in Lagos, Nigeria.
