By Ayomide Otitoju
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its legal team to initiate contempt proceedings against the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) and the state Attorney-General, alleging defiance of existing court orders.
Chris Nehikhare, Publicity Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, made the announcement in a statement on Monday in Benin. He claimed the electoral body ignored subsisting court directives restraining it from conducting the September 20 local government by-elections.
Nehikhare described the polls as a “sham exercise, in reckless disregard for the law,” accusing EDSIEC of preparing to declare winners despite injunctions from both the Edo State High Court and the National Industrial Court.
Justice Mary Itsueli of the Edo High Court had on September 16 ruled that the tenures of the affected councillors remained valid until September 2026. The electoral commission, however, conducted by-elections for 59 councillorship seats across 15 local governments, citing a resolution by the state House of Assembly declaring the seats vacant over alleged absenteeism.
Calling the actions “a direct assault on the judiciary,” Nehikhare alleged that the conduct of EDSIEC and the Attorney-General represents a betrayal of public trust and “a shameful display of irresponsibility” by officials sworn to uphold the Constitution.
“The deliberate disobedience of lawful court orders by public officers is shameful, irresponsible, and cannot go unpunished,” he said, warning that democracy cannot survive where court orders are ignored with impunity.
Efforts to reach EDSIEC Chairman Jonathan Aifuobhokhan and Attorney-General Samson Osagie for comment were unsuccessful, as both declined to respond.
