The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Saturday’s local government by-election organised by the Edo Independent Electoral Commission as illegal.
Tony Aziegbemi, the party’s caretaker chairperson, said this in Benin while addressing journalists about the exercise.
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He stated that the by-elections scheduled across 59 wards violated a subsisting court order restraining the state election commission and the government from conducting them.
“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.
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“The court categorically restrained the Edo Independent Electoral Commission from proceeding with any such election. For the state government to ignore this order and proceed is alarming,” Mr Aziegbemi said.
He warned that security agencies must not legitimise the process, stressing that the PDP’s participation would have amounted to aiding contempt of court.
“The tenure of the elected chairmen and councillors has not expired; we have five court judgements affirming this. Conducting a by-election is unlawful,” he said.
Mr Aziegbemi further alleged that the exercise was a ploy to siphon public funds.
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The PDP chairperson said the party would instead concentrate on strengthening its structures through ongoing congresses and preparing for the 2027 general elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state election commission is conducting by-elections into 59 councillorship seats across 18 local government councils.
The seats were declared vacant through a resolution of the Edo House of Assembly, which cited the previous occupants’ absenteeism.
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