The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Tuesday sacked the 13 local government chairmen and 171 ward councillors in the state.
Presided over by Justice H.I.O. Oshomah, the court declared that the elections conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) failed to meet the constitutional and legal standards prescribed by the Electoral Act.
The court granted most of the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs’ counsels, Mr. Hamilton Ogbodo and Chief Mudi Erhenede, who represented Samuel Udeogu and Isu Amaechi, respectively.
It also issued a consequential order barring any future local government elections in the state unless they are conducted strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“So, in effect, the local government election that was conducted in July 2024 in Ebonyi State is no more. It has been cancelled by this Federal High Court today,” said Mr. Ogbodo, commending the court for upholding the rule of law.
He further advised the state government and EBSIEC to comply with the judgment and revert to the legal status quo, while noting that the window for appeal remains open.
Echoing similar sentiments, Chief Erhenede condemned the state government’s pattern of disobeying court orders, recalling that a previous ruling by the late Justice Fatun Rilman had also nullified the 2022 local government elections, which the government ignored.
“This is a question of people who don’t want to believe in or obey the rule of law,” Erhenede stated.
He urged the court to release the judgment document promptly to ensure full enforcement.
The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for governance and political administration in Ebonyi State, as stakeholders await the government’s next move — whether to comply or appeal the decision.