The Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) on Saturday went ahead to conduct by-elections for councillorship seats across the state, despite a restraining order issued by the Edo State High Court.
The exercise, held in 59 wards across 15 local government areas, was largely boycotted by opposition parties, with only the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) participating.
The by-elections followed a resolution of the Edo State House of Assembly, which directed that vacant councillorship positions be filled after a leadership crisis rocked local government councils earlier in Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.
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However, on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, Justice Mary Itsueli, sitting as a vacation judge, had ordered EDSIEC to halt the process. The order was issued in response to an ex-parte motion filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which challenged the legality of the planned polls.
In the suit marked B/247M/2025, the PDP argued that the affected councillors’ tenures remain valid until September 2026, stressing that any attempt to declare their seats vacant or conduct fresh elections would be unlawful. The party also listed the Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as a respondent.
Justice Itsueli granted the PDP leave to commence judicial review proceedings, ruling that the party had provided sufficient grounds to warrant intervention. She consequently ordered that all further steps toward the proposed elections be suspended.
Despite the subsisting order, EDSIEC proceeded with the exercise. As at the time of filing this report, results from the elections were still being awaited.
