Babatunji Wusu –
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Federal High Court in Abakaliki has reserved judgment in a suit challenging the legality of the July 20, 2024, local government and councillorship elections in Ebonyi State.
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The suit was filed by Samuel Udeogu and Isu Amaechi, following earlier nullification of the 2022 local government elections by the same court.
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Previous judgments by the Federal High Court and the Enugu Appeal Court upheld the nullification of the 2022 elections due to non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
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The state government’s attempts to uphold the 2022 elections through State High Court rulings and appeals were dismissed by higher courts.
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The current suit involves INEC, Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, the Governor, and the state government as defendants.
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Legal representatives urged for nullification and cost sanction for non-compliance with prior court rulings, while defendants requested the suit be dismissed.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, has reserved judgment in the suit filed by two indigenes, Samuel Udeogu and Isu Amaechi, seeking to nullify the local government and councillorship elections conducted across Ebonyi State on July 20, 2024. The suit challenges the validity of the elections on grounds connected to earlier rulings regarding electoral non-compliance.
This matter follows a history of legal disputes over Ebonyi’s local government elections. In 2022, the Federal High Court under Justice Fatun Riman nullified the 2022 local government elections conducted under the previous administration for failing to comply with the Electoral Act 2022. The Ebonyi State Government unsuccessfully tried to uphold those elections by securing a conflicting judgment from the State High Court and appealing the Federal High Court ruling.
However, the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, affirmed the Federal High Court’s nullification ruling, declaring the 2022 elections null and void, while emphasizing that funds allocated to the local government system must not be expended by unelected officials.
In the current suit before Justice H.I.O. Ochoma, counsel for the plaintiffs pressed for nullification of the 2024 elections and sought substantial costs due to the state government’s alleged disobedience of the previous Appeal Court rulings. Conversely, counsel for the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission and the state government urged dismissal of the suit, demanding punitive costs.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved judgment, with the date for the ruling yet to be announced to the parties involved. This ongoing legal contest underscores the complex and protracted judicial processes surrounding local government electoral legitimacy in Ebonyi State.
