PDP Rejects Ebonyi LG Election, Accuses EBSIEC of Defying Court Orders
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State has rejected the latest local government election conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC), describing the exercise as unconstitutional and legally defective.
The opposition party also alleged that the election was conducted in disregard of existing court orders and warned that the outcome could face fresh legal challenges.
The PDP made its position known during a press conference in Abakaliki on Saturday, where its State Publicity Secretary and spokesperson, Prince Darlington Peter Onwe, accused EBSIEC of failing to provide what the party described as a level playing field for opposition parties.
PDP Alleges Opposition Parties Were Shut Out
According to the party, the election amounted to a “mono-party” exercise because opposition political parties were allegedly prevented from participating effectively.
The PDP argued that local government councils must emerge through a process that allows citizens and political parties to participate freely, pointing to provisions of the 1999 Constitution on democratic governance and grassroots administration.
The party also relied on a Supreme Court judgment concerning the status of democratically elected local government councils and federal allocations, arguing that councils created outside the constitutional framework should not enjoy the same legal recognition.
Party Challenges Two-Year Tenure for Council Officials
The PDP also raised objections to the two-year tenure provided for Ebonyi local government chairmen and councillors under the amended Ebonyi State Local Government Law No. 005.
The party argued that the provision conflicts with the Constitution and relevant judicial pronouncements on the tenure of elected local government officials.
It therefore maintained that an election conducted under what it considers a defective legal framework cannot provide a solid legal foundation for the officials who emerge from it.
PDP Recalls Previous Ebonyi Election Disputes
The opposition party further cited previous court battles over local government elections in Ebonyi.
It recalled that the Federal High Court in Abakaliki nullified the 2022 local government election over alleged breaches of electoral requirements and failure to provide contestants with a level playing field.
According to the PDP, the Court of Appeal in Enugu later affirmed the judgment.
The party also claimed that another election conducted by EBSIEC on July 20, 2024, was subsequently nullified by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki in October 2025.
The PDP said that judgment affected the election of 13 chairmen and 171 councillors.
It further alleged that the court restrained EBSIEC and the Ebonyi State Government from conducting another local government election except in accordance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
PDP Threatens Fresh Legal Action
The party maintained that the order remains in force, alleging that it has neither been set aside nor stayed.
It consequently described the conduct of another election despite the alleged order as contempt of court and a serious challenge to the rule of law.
The PDP warned that councils produced through a process it considers unconstitutional could face legal challenges, including possible disputes over access to federal allocations.
The party also pointed to previous disputes in Ebonyi, saying legal battles over local government elections had previously affected the release of funds meant for the councils.
It warned that a similar situation could have consequences for grassroots development across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Opposition Calls for Election to Be Suspended
The PDP called on EBSIEC to suspend the election and comply with existing court orders before conducting any further local government poll.
It also demanded changes to Ebonyi’s local government law, particularly the provision governing the tenure of elected council officials, to ensure that the legislation conforms with the Constitution and relevant court decisions.
The party urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take note of the situation and called on the Ebonyi State Government to comply with all outstanding judicial orders concerning local government administration.
The PDP said it was prepared to challenge the election before a competent court and pursue contempt proceedings against individuals or authorities it believes knowingly acted contrary to subsisting court pronouncements.
For now, the dispute has opened another legal and political chapter around local government elections in Ebonyi, with the PDP making it clear that it does not accept the outcome of the latest poll.
