BY FAVOUR PERCY-IDUBOR, BENIN
THE Edo State House of Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution directing the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to conduct by-election to fill the vacant positions of affected councillors in different wards of the local government areas of the state.
The affected councillors were said to have abandoned their duty post since January 2025, an action deemed to have grossly contravened Section 12(1) of the 2000 local government law.
The adoption of the resolution was sequel to the consideration of a motion moved by the majority leader, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamahu and seconded by Hon.
Addeh Isibor.
Moving the motion for deliberation, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamahu said that the legislative arm of government was very fundamental in local government administration in a democracy.
He said, “But in Edo, we are having a situation were councillors elected by their people abandoned their duty post for reason best known to them. The essence of democracy is no longer felt in these wards”
Speaking further, he said that meaningful development can not take place at the affected wards when elected councillors abandon their duty post adding that the people at the affected wards have been denied the dividends of democracy by the actions of the councillors .
Citing section 12(1) and section 16 of the local government law 2000, which states that a councillor’s seat can only be declared vacant when he or she fails to meet 1/3 of the meetings held in the council in the calendar year, the Majority Leader maintained that the councillors have been away from January till date, and EDSIEC must immediately conduct Bye-eection into the various wards in the state.
Also speaking, Hon.Addeh Isibor stated that there is a stipulated number of days, as quoted by the Majority Leader of the House, that the councillors can be absent from meetings at the council before their seats can be declared vacant, adding that their actions are seriously damaging and harming local government administration in the State.
He argued that section 7 of the 1999 constitution as amended empowers the state assembly to enact laws for the smooth operations and administration of local government.
During deliberation on the motion, majority of the lawmakers spoke in favour of the directive on EDSIEC to immediately conduct bye-election into the affected wards.
The lawmakers after deliberation on the motion, voted unanimously in support of the motion directing EDSIEC to conduct a bye-election into the various wards within 3 weeks.
