The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi chapter, has rejected Saturday’s local government elections conducted in the state, describing the exercise as a “mono-party poll” allegedly conducted in defiance of subsisting court judgments.

The party’s state publicity secretary, Darlington Onwe, made the position known at a press conference in Abakaliki on Sunday.

Mr Onwe said the party considered the exercise “not an election at all,” alleging that the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government had failed to ensure genuine participation by all registered political parties.

He argued that the exercise was unconstitutional and could not confer legitimacy on any candidate that emerged from it.

According to him, Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees a system of democratically elected local government councils, while Section 14 recognises the people’s sovereignty and their participation in governance.

He said a local government election substantially contested by only one political party could not meet the constitutional requirement for democratic representation.

The PDP spokesperson also relied on the Supreme Court judgment in Attorney-General of the Federation v. Attorney-General of Abia State & 35 Others, delivered in July 2024.

He said the judgment affirmed the constitutional importance of democratically elected local government councils and addressed the tenure of elected local government officials.

Mr Onwe further challenged the legality of the two-year tenure provided under the amended Ebonyi State Local Government Law, arguing that it was inconsistent with constitutional provisions and the Supreme Court’s pronouncements.

He maintained that any election conducted under a law that was inconsistent with the Constitution could not cure the alleged legal defect.

The PDP also recalled the 2022 local government election in Ebonyi, which it said the Federal High Court in Abakaliki nullified over alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act and denial of a level playing field.

The party said the Court of Appeal later affirmed the judgement in May 2025.

It further alleged that EBSIEC conducted another local government election on July 20, 2024, despite the ongoing litigation, with candidates of the ruling party emerging across the 13 chairmanship and 171 councillorship positions.

Mr Onwe noted that the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, also nullified the election on October 21, 2025.

He alleged that the court also restrained EBSIEC and the state government from conducting another local government election except in accordance with the Constitution and Electoral Act.

He contended that the order remained subsisting and should, therefore, restrain the electoral commission and the state government.

The spokesperson also warned that the alleged conduct of the election could have financial implications for the state’s 13 local government areas.

Mr Onwe cited the Supreme Court’s position on democratically elected councils and warned that any council structure emerging from an allegedly unconstitutional process could face challenges in accessing federal allocations.

He urged relevant federal agencies, including the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to take note of the party’s position.

The PDP spokesperson called on EBSIEC to suspend the electoral process pending compliance with relevant court orders and resolution of what it described as constitutional defects in the state’s local government law.

The party also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take note of the development and urged the Ebonyi State government to comply with all outstanding court orders relating to local government administration.

He said the party would challenge the outcome of the election before a competent court.

The PDP’s position came amid its earlier declaration that it would not participate in Saturday’s LG elections, citing alleged failure by EBSIEC to open the electoral process to all political parties.

The party said it remained committed to defending democratic participation and the rule of law in Ebonyi.

Reacting to the development, Patrick Enyi, EBSIEC chairman, said in a telephone interview that the election was made open to all political parties and all processes were duly followed.

“We created awareness for all interested parties to participate, but they did not show interest, especially PDP,” he added.

Mr Enyi, however, did not name the political parties that participated in the polls.

He subsequently ended the telephone conversation and did not respond to a second call seeking further clarification on the issue.

Also reacting, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, the state’s chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), described the election as a “competitive exercise”, noting that all political parties were carried along by the EBSIEC.

“It was an open contest for the parties that indicated interest. I believe nothing was done secretly from the beginning to the day of the elections,” Mr Okoro-Emegha said.

Results of Saturday’s Ebonyi LG polls are still being awaited.

(NAN)