The Federal Excessive Courtroom sitting in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital on Tuesday nullified the native authorities and councilors elections performed in July final 12 months which produced the present council chairmen and councilors within the state.
The courtroom presided over by Justice
H.I.O. Oshomah, held that the July 2024 native authorities and councilorship elections within the state, didn’t conform with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The courtroom subsequently voided and cancelled the native authorities and councilorship elections and requested the Ebonyi State Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee and the state authorities who’re the 2nd and third respondents to not conduct additional native authorities and councilorship elections within the state besides consistent with the provisions of the structure.
The courtroom which granted a lot of the reliefs sought by counsel to the first plaintiff, Hamilton Ogbodo and 2nd plaintiff, Mudi Erhenede granted consequential order on the matter.
Hamilton Ogbodo, counsel to 1st plaintiff, Samuel Udeogu hailed the judgement.
Whereas delivering the judgement, the presiding choose dominated, “So, in impact, the native authorities election that was performed in July 2024 in Ebonyi State, isn’t any extra there, it has been cancelled by this Federal Excessive Courtroom at the moment.
“If the 2nd and third defendants wish to do what the legislation says, they need to do, they need to recert to establishment ante bellum after which obey the courtroom order however we’re ready for them as a result of the time inside which they’ll enchantment this judgement continues to be operating and when it expires, we’ll know what to do. We count on them to obey the courtroom order.
The choose confused, “The native authorities chairmen in Ebonyi State have been sacked by the order of this courtroom at the moment. The courtroom has achieved precisely what the legislation says it ought to do as a result of these items are in black and white. It’s once you don’t wish to obey the legislation, you now learn it the way in which you need in order that in order that it might probably serve your personal objectives”, he stated.
On his half, Mudi Erhenede, counsel to Isu Amaechi who’s 2nd plaintiff within the matter stated the Federal Excessive Courtroom sitting in Abakaliki presided over by late Justice Fatun Rilman had nullified the 2022 native authorities and councilorship elections which the state authorities didn’t obey however went forward and swore-in folks as elected council chairmen and councilors throughout the 13 Native Authorities and 171 wards within the state.
He famous that the 2nd and third defendants filed enchantment towards the Justice Fatun Rilman which they misplaced following the upholding of the Justice Fatun Rilman Federal Excessive Courtroom judgement.
“It is a query of people that don’t wish to consider in rule of legislation and obey the rule of legislation.
“The Federal Excessive courtroom nullified the native authorities election performed in 2022 and the state in defiant to that judgement, proceeded to swear-in some individuals as native authorities chairmen,” he stated.
He hailed the Justice Oshomah’s courtroom ruling of Tuesday on the 2024 native authorities and councilorship elections within the state and urged the courtroom to make out there the judgment inside doable time.