Edo Court Halts September 20 LG Bye-Elections After PDP’s Legal OnslaughtBy Our Correspondent

A major twist has rocked the political landscape in Edo State as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday secured a court order restraining the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) from conducting the scheduled local government bye-elections across the state on Saturday, September 20, 2025.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Mary E. Itsuell of the Edo State High Court in Benin, followed a motion ex parte filed by the PDP in Suit No. B/247M/2025 against EDSIEC, the Edo State Government, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In its prayers, the PDP argued that the tenure of its duly elected councillors in the affected wards remains valid until September 2026, rendering the proposed elections unconstitutional and premature.

Justice Itsuell granted leave to the PDP to apply for judicial review of the electoral body’s decision, ruling:

> “An Order granting leave to the Applicant to apply for Judicial Review of the decision of the 1st Respondent to conduct election across 9 Wards purportedly to fill vacancies to their legislative seats/offices of Councillors sponsored by the Applicant, when their respective tenures subsist until September 2026.”
The judge further issued a restraining order stopping EDSIEC and the other respondents from taking any steps towards conducting the bye-elections, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Fresh Crisis in Etsako East Ward 3

Meanwhile, a fresh layer of controversy has emerged in Etsako East Local Government Area, where the PDP has demanded an immediate suspension of the bye-election in Ward 3, citing what it described as “gross infractions and irregularities.”

In a strongly worded petition addressed to EDSIEC and signed by its solicitors, Osagie Igbinomwanhia & Co., the PDP insisted that Ward 3 was not originally listed among the wards slated for the bye-election. The party pointed to official publications by both EDSIEC and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which excluded Ward 3 but curiously included it in a subsequent campaign timetable.

The PDP alleged that the supposed vacancy in Ward 3 arose after one Hon. Monday Uloko, who defected from the PDP to the APC, “purportedly resigned” his councillorship. It claimed that the APC hurriedly staged a “kangaroo primary” to produce Sunday Akiotu Ekpesi as its candidate without following due legal and procedural requirements.

The petition further faulted the APC and EDSIEC for allegedly bypassing the Edo State House of Assembly, which constitutionally ought to have been notified of the vacancy before any replacement process.

> “This process was hurriedly carried out illegally without notifying the Edo State House of Assembly about the vacancy, coupled with a failure to put Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) on notice,” the petition stated.

The PDP has therefore called on the electoral body to suspend the Ward 3 exercise until all legal processes are duly followed.

The twin legal battles have effectively thrown the September 20 bye-election plans into uncertainty. With the restraining order in place and fresh disputes in key LGAs, political analysts predict a fierce courtroom and political showdown in the coming weeks.

For now, Edo voters and stakeholders are left in suspense as the battle for control of local government councils shifts from the ballot box to the courtroom.