From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State House of Assembly has adopted a resolution directing the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to conduct by-election to fill the vacant positions of councillors in different wards of the local government areas who have abandoned their duty posts.
It was disclosed on the floor of the House that some of the councillors had allegedly abandoned their duty posts since January 2025; an action deemed to have grossly contravened Section 12(1) of the 2000 Local Government Law.
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The adoption of the resolution followed the consideration of a motion moved by the majority leader, Jonathan Ibhamahu and seconded by Addeh Isibor.
Moving the motion, Ibhamahu stated that the legislative arm of government was very fundamental in local government administration in a democracy, adding, “But, in Edo, we are having a situation where councillors 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.”
Besides, he said meaningful development cannot take place at the affected wards when elected councillors abandon their duty post, noting that the people at the affected wards have been denied the dividends of democracy by such actions.
The Majority Leader cited section 12(1) and section 16 of the State Local Government Law 2000, which states that a councillor’s seat can only be declared vacant when he or she fails to meet one-third of the meetings held in the council in the calendar year. He pointed out that the councillors have been away from January till date, and urged the EDSIEC to immediately conduct by-elections into various wards.
Speaking in the same vein, Isibor said 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. He noted that their actions were seriously damaging and harming local government administration in the state.
Majority of lawmakers who spoke during deliberation on the motion, spoke in favour of directing the EDSIEC to immediately conduct by-elections into the affected wards. Consequently, the lawmakers, after deliberation on the motion, voted unanimously in support of the motion directing EDSIEC to conduct by-elections into various wards within three weeks.
The House had earlier announced the receipt of a letter from the office of the governor presenting five additional names as commissioner-nominees and four nominees as chairman and members of the Edo State Civil Service Commission for screening and confirmation.
The House had, on Monday, passed the bill for a law to repeal the Edo State Gaming Law 2020, and to enact a law to provide for the Edo State Lottery, Establishment of the Edo State Lottery Regulatory Commission, and the Edo State Lottery Trust Fund.
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