The Edo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution mandating the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to organize by-elections to fill vacant councillorship seats nine months after suspending the eighteen local government council chairmen.
The chairmen were suspended by the Assembly in December 2024, a move that sparked criticism and backlash. However, following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Majority Leader Hon. Jonathan Ibhamahu and seconded by Hon. Addeh Isibor during plenary on Monday, the Assembly cited prolonged absenteeism by some councilors, who allegedly abandoned their duty posts since January 2025. The Assembly deemed this a violation of Section 12(1) of the Edo State Local Government Law of 2000.
While presenting the motion, Hon. Ibhamahu emphasized the crucial role of the legislative arm in local governance and lamented that the absence of elected representatives had deprived residents of democratic representation. “In Edo, we are having a situation where councilors elected by their people abandoned their duty posts for reasons best known to them. The essence of democracy is no longer felt in these wards,” he said.
He argued that development in the affected wards was being hampered by the prolonged absence of councilors, stressing that constituents had been denied the dividends of democracy. Referencing Sections 12(1) and 16 of the Local Government Law of 2000, Ibhamahu maintained that the lawmakers had breached the minimum attendance requirement, which states that a councilor’s seat can be declared vacant if they fail to attend one-third of council meetings in a calendar year. “They have been away from January till date, and EDSIEC must immediately conduct bye-elections into the various wards in the state,” he added.
Supporting the motion, Hon. Isibor noted that there is a clearly defined limit to the number of meetings a councilor can miss before forfeiting their seat. “Their actions are seriously damaging and harming local government administration in the state,” he said.
The motion received overwhelming support during deliberations, with lawmakers unanimously voting in favor of the directive for EDSIEC to conduct the by-elections within three weeks.
The Assembly also acknowledged a letter from the Governor’s Office forwarding the names of five additional commissioner-nominees, along with four nominees for appointment as chairman and members of the Edo State Civil Service Commission. These nominees are to be screened and confirmed by the House.
Meanwhile, the House passed a bill repealing the Edo State Gaming Law of 2020. The new legislation seeks to establish the Edo State Lottery, create the Edo State Lottery Regulatory Commission, and set up the Edo State Lottery Trust Fund.
