The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Tuesday, nullified the State’s local government elections conducted in July, 2024, which produced the current chairmen and councillors in the 13 LGAs of the State.
The court presided by Justice H.I.O. Oshomah, held that the July 2024 chairmanship and councilorship elections didn’t conform with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
It, therefore, voided exercise and its outcomes, asking the Ebonyi State Independent National Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government, who were the 2nd and 3rd respondents in the suit, not to conduct further local government elections in the state except in line with the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act.
The court, which granted most of the reliefs sought by counsels to the 1st plaintiff, Hamilton Ogbodo and 2nd plantiff, Chief Mudi Erhenede, granted consequential order on the matter.
Hamilton Ogbodo, counsel to 1st plaintiff, Samuel Udeogu, hailed the judgement of the court.
“So, in effect, the local government election that was conducted in July 2024 in Ebonyi State is no longer there, it has been cancelled by this Federal High Court today.
“If the 2nd and 3rd defendants want to do what the law says they should do, they should revert to status quo ante bellum and then obey the court order but we are waiting for them because the time within which they can appeal this judgement is still running and when it expires, we will know what to do.
“We expect them to obey the court order. The local government chairmen has been sacked by the order of the court. The court has done exactly what the law says it should do because these things are in black and white,” Ogbodo stated.