The Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has cancelled the local government elections held in July 2024. The elections had produced chairmen and councillors across the 13 local government areas of the state.
Justice H.I.O. Oshomah, who delivered the judgment on Tuesday, ruled that the elections did not follow the guidelines of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The court declared the entire election exercise and its results invalid. It also ordered the Ebonyi State Independent National Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government not to organize any future local government elections unless they comply fully with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The case was filed by Samuel Udeogu and Chief Mudi Erhenede, represented by their lawyers Hamilton Ogbodo and Mudi Erhenede, respectively. The court granted most of the reliefs they requested.
Speaking after the judgment, Ogbodo praised the court’s decision.
“The local government election conducted in July 2024 no longer exists it has been cancelled by the court,” he said. “If the government wants to act according to the law, they must return to the position before the election and obey the court order.”
He added that the local government chairmen have been removed from office following the judgment and urged the state government to comply while noting that the period to appeal the ruling is still open.
“We expect them to obey the court order,” Ogbodo said. “The court has done exactly what the law requires.”