(DDM) – A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State, has nullified the July 2024 local government elections that produced 13 chairmen and 171 councillors under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Justice Hillary Oshomah, in his landmark judgment, ruled that the election violated several provisions of both the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The court declared that the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) conducted the polls in blatant disregard of constitutional requirements and electoral guidelines, thereby invalidating all mandates arising from the process.
In his verdict, Justice Oshomah described the entire election exercise as “illegal, unconstitutional, null, and void,” stressing that no democratic system should operate outside the confines of the law.
The judgment effectively sacked all the 13 local government chairmen and 171 councillors who were sworn in after the controversial election, which was widely criticized by opposition parties and civil society observers at the time.
The court further barred the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the Ebonyi State Government from conducting any future local government elections without strict compliance with the Electoral Act and constitutional provisions.
The plaintiffs in the case, Samuel Udeogu and Mudi Erhenede, had approached the court to challenge the validity of the July 2024 polls, arguing that the exercise was marred by irregularities, lack of transparency, and disregard for due process.
Reacting to the ruling, the plaintiffs described the judgment as “a triumph for democracy, the rule of law, and the restoration of people’s confidence in Nigeria’s judiciary.”
Their counsel, Barrister Hamilton Ogbodo, lauded the court for upholding democratic values, stating that the verdict represented “a bold step towards restoring public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.”
He noted that the decision sends a strong signal to political actors that electoral impunity will no longer be tolerated in the country’s democratic process.
Legal analysts who spoke with DDM said the ruling has set a significant judicial precedent not just for Ebonyi State but for other states where local government elections are often viewed as mere formalities controlled by ruling parties.
Observers also believe that the judgment could reshape the political landscape in Ebonyi State, as the nullification of the APC-led councils may open the door for fresh elections conducted under stricter legal scrutiny.
For now, the affected chairmen and councillors remain without legal mandates, pending any appeal that may be filed by the Ebonyi State Government or the state electoral body.
The verdict, analysts say, has reinforced the judiciary’s role as the last hope of the common man and a guardian of democratic integrity in Nigeria.