The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) and the state government have been prevented from conducting planned local government by-elections in the state’s 59 wards by an Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City.
Following a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ex-parte motion, Justice Mary E. Itsueli, who is currently serving as a vacation judge, granted the order on September 16, 2025.
In the lawsuit B/247M/2025, the PDP’s attorneys, Oluwole Osaze Uzzi, Michael Ekwemuka, and P. W. Akwuen, requested permission to request judicial review of EDSIEC’s decision to conduct by-elections to fill councillorship positions.
Any attempt to make their seats vacant be against the party’s argument that the councillors’ terms are valid up until September 2026.
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Justice Itsueli also requested that the applicant’s Chief Judge of Edo State be notified of the decision to transfer the matter to a regular court, setting the return date for September 30th, 2025.
The lawsuit also includes the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Edo State.
The PDP requested an order granting the applicant’s request for judicial review of the first respondent’s decision to hold elections in 59 wards allegedly to fill vacancies in their legislative seats or offices sponsored by the applicant until September 2026 in the enrolment order that our correspondent visited.
In addition, the PDP requested that the court grant “An Order that the Respondents stay further action and be restrained from conducting the election or taking any further steps in connection with the planned Local Government by election in their respective Wards, particularly as it relates to the seats/offices of the duly elected Councillors,” pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion on notice for judicial review to be filed pursuant to the grant of leave.
The Court granted the applicants’ requests for judicial review of the first respondent’s decision to hold alleged fill-fill vacancies in the legislative offices/seats of Councillors sponsored by the Applicant until September 2026 after carefully considering the applications and submissions of the PDP’s attorneys.
The Court also directed that the Respondents are prohibited from holding any further elections or taking any other actions in connection with the planned Local Government by-election in each of their wards, particularly in regards to the seats/offices of the duly elected Councillors, pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion on notice for Judicial review to be filed pursuant to the grant of leave.
Source: Channels TV
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