Federal High Court Sacks All 13 Ebonyi Council Chairmen and 171 Councillors Elected in 2024

In a stunning judicial pronouncement, the political structure of local governance in Ebonyi State has been completely dismantled following a ruling by the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki. On Tuesday, the court delivered a verdict that invalidated the elections of all 13 Council Chairmen and their corresponding 171 ward councillors, who were purportedly elected in 2024. This judgment marks a major victory for the rule of law and a significant setback for the state’s electoral body.

Dependable NG reports that the court, presided over by Justice H.I.O. Oshomah, declared that the local government elections conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) failed entirely to meet the clear constitutional and legal standards stipulated by the nation’s Electoral Act. The court granted the majority of the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs’ counsels, Mr. Hamilton Ogbodo and Chief Mudi Erhenede, who represented Samuel Udeogu and Isu Amaechi, respectively. The ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance against procedural irregularities in electoral processes.

Furthermore, Justice Oshomah issued a powerful consequential order: the state is now prohibited from conducting any future local government elections unless and until the exercise is carried out in strict compliance with the provisions of both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. Mr. Ogbodo, counsel to one of the plaintiffs, praised the court for upholding justice, stating: “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.”

Mr. Ogbodo proceeded to issue a direct warning to the state government and EBSIEC, demanding they immediately revert to the legal status quo and fully obey the judgment, though he acknowledged that the window for an appeal remains open. Chief Erhenede, echoing the gravity of the ruling, highlighted the state government’s worrying history of disrespecting judicial authority. He reminded the public that a previous judgment by the late Justice Fatun Rilman, which also nullified the 2022 local government elections, was allegedly disregarded by the state. Erhenede concluded his remarks by stating, “This is a question of people who don’t want to believe in or obey the rule of law,” and urged the court to expedite the release of the judgment document to ensure swift enforcement.