The Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu-Ladan, has taken legal action against the state government over the alleged reduction of the tenure of local government chairmen and councillors.
In a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Yakubu-Ladan seeks an order to restrain the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) and other defendants from conducting the scheduled local government elections until the expiration of the current four-year tenure.
NSIEC had announced November 1 as the date for the local government elections across the state. However, the plaintiff argues that the Niger State Local Government Law, 2001, which reduces the tenure of elected local government officials from four to three years, is unconstitutional.
The suit names the Attorney-General of Niger State, the State House of Assembly, NSIEC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Inspector-General of Police as defendants.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2025, filed by his counsel, Chris Udeoyibo, Yakubu-Ladan raised eight questions for judicial determination.
The Chanchaga Chairman questioned whether the state government could enforce the amended Local Government Law, given its alleged conflict with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2022. He also sought a declaration that the four-year tenure for local government officials is constitutionally guaranteed.
Additionally, the suit challenges NSIEC’s preparations for the November 1 elections and seeks an order restraining the defendants from proceeding with the poll until the current tenure expires. It also aims to prevent INEC and the police from providing logistical and security support for the election. Yakubu-Ladan argues that the state law contradicts Section 7 of the Constitution and Sections 018 and 150 of the Electoral Act 2022. The case has yet to be assigned to a judge.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
