Ebonyi set to swear-in new LGA Chairmen, ignore court ruling

Ebonyi State government appears set to swear-in the newly elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors despite a court ruling which nullified their election.

The State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC had publicly

insisted that the 13 LGA chairmen and 171 ward councillors elect must be inaugurated on 1st September 2022 as earlier scheduled.

The federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki nullified the LGA elections on the grounds of irregularities and total negligence to the 2022 Electoral ACT and other relevant laws by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, EBSIEC and therefore ruled that the election should be null and void.

The Court equally ordered that the incumbent council chairmen and ward councillors should not leave office as their tenures would elapse on August 2023, when a fresh election for the local government areas in the state has to be held legally.

However, the Ebonyi State APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha while announcing the date for the inaugural ceremony, argued that the inauguration of the newly elected LG Chairmen and Councillors should be held following their successful election on July 30, 2022.

He said: “In view, of the successful conduct of Council polls in Ebonyi State on the 30th of July 2022, the National and Zonal Leadership of the All Progressives Congress Stakeholders), other Stakeholders, as well as the General public, are cordially invited to witness the epoch-making event which will signify a new era that will consolidate on the giant developmental strides of our Governor, Engr Chief David Nweze Umahi.

“It is also gratifying to use this opportunity again to congratulate the newly elected Chairmen of the 13 local government Areas and 171 wards’ councillors as well as our great party, APC for sweeping the polls overwhelmingly.”

He announced that the inauguration would be held on 1st September 2022 by 10 am, at the Pa Ngele Oruta township stadium, Abakakili, Ebonyi State.