Court bars electoral commission from Edo council polls

THE Benin High Court 7 yesterday disqualified the Edo State Independent National Commission (EDSIEC) from conducting election into the 18 local councils, saying the body was not properly constituted by the current administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The Guardian gathered that the election would be held in December this year. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osagie Obayuwana, told The Guardian yesterday that the state government had already appealed the judgment.

The judgment in the case between Caroline Ewohinmi, Robert Oghafuoso, Saliu Jeremiah, Friday Ojo, Eric Uhunmwangho on the one hand and the governor, Attorney General, House of Assembly and the eight members of the reconstituted commission headed by Solomon Aigbuoibo Ogoh, on the other, was delivered by Justice A. Edodo-Eruaga.

She granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, which included that their dissolution was wrong as they were constituted on June 20, 2007, and their tenure should have elapsed on June 19 2012. They also urged the court to rule that they remained members of the commission until the expiration of their tenure. They also said the appointment of Ogoh and others as head and members of the commission was unconstitutional since their tenure was still running.

Besides, the court set aside the appointment of the new members and ordered that all their arrears of salaries, allowances and other financial entitlements during the period of their removal be paid.

Meanwhile, there is tension among transition committee chairmen and councillors in the 18 councils in Edo State as pressure is being mounted on Oshiomhole to dissolve them and set up new ones.

The chairmen and councilors had feared they may be sacked but The Guardian learnt that Oshiomhole had not succumbed to the pressure but rather, said preparations should commence for election into the councils.

Written by Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City