AfriPulse
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has described Saturday’s local government by-election in the state as illegal.
The Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in the state, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, stated this while addressing journalists on the exercise in Benin City.
He said the by-elections scheduled across 59 wards in the state violated a subsisting court order restraining the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) and the state government from conducting it.
Aziegbemi said: “Only last week, the Edo State High Court, presided over by Justice Mary Itsueli, ordered that the seats of duly elected councillors subsist until September 2026.
“The court categorically restrained EDSIEC from proceeding with any such election. For the state government to ignore this order and proceed is alarming.”
He warned that security agencies must not legitimise the process, saying participation by the PDP would amount to aiding contempt of court.
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“The tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors has not expired. We have five court judgments affirming this. Conducting a by-election is unlawful,” the PDP chairman stated.
He alleged that the exercise was a ploy to siphon public funds.
The chairman said the party would instead concentrate on strengthening its structures through ongoing congresses ahead of the 2027 general elections.
EDSIEC on Saturday conducted by-elections into 59 councillorship seats across 18 local government areas of the state.
The seats were declared vacant through a resolution of the State House of Assembly, which cited absenteeism of the previous occupants.
Source: RipplesNigeria | Read the Full Story…
