The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki has annulled the July 2024 local government elections in Ebonyi State, declaring all 13 council chairmanship and 171 councillorship positions held by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as invalid.
Justice Hillary Oshomah, delivering the judgment, stated that the elections contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act, rendering the entire process unconstitutional.
He further ordered that the monthly federal allocations to the affected councils be withheld until new elections are conducted in compliance with the law.
The court also issued a directive restraining the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government from conducting future local government elections unless they adhere strictly to constitutional and electoral guidelines.
Legal representatives for the plaintiffs, Samuel Udeogu and Mudi Erhenede, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, describing it as a significant affirmation of the judiciary’s role in safeguarding democratic processes.
This development marks a critical juncture in Ebonyi’s political landscape, with implications for the APC’s control over local governance in the state.
Justice Hillary Oshomah, delivering the judgment, stated that the elections contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act, rendering the entire process unconstitutional.
He further ordered that the monthly federal allocations to the affected councils be withheld until new elections are conducted in compliance with the law.
The court also issued a directive restraining the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government from conducting future local government elections unless they adhere strictly to constitutional and electoral guidelines.
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Legal representatives for the plaintiffs, Samuel Udeogu and Mudi Erhenede, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, describing it as a significant affirmation of the judiciary’s role in safeguarding democratic processes.
This development marks a critical juncture in Ebonyi’s political landscape, with implications for the APC’s control over local governance in the state.
