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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Edo State House of Assembly has adopted a resolution directing the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant positions of councillors in various wards of the local government areas of the state who have abandoned their duty posts.
It was disclosed on the floor of the House that some councillors had allegedly abandoned their duty posts since January 2025, an action deemed to have grossly contravened Section 12(1) of the Edo State Local Government Law 2000, as amended in 2022.
The adoption of the resolution followed the consideration of a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Jonathan Ibhamawu, and seconded by Hon. Addeh Isibor.
Moving the motion, Ibhamawu stated that the legislative arm of government was very fundamental to local government administration in a democracy, adding, “But in Edo, we are having a situation where councillors elected by their people have abandoned their duty posts for reasons best known to them. The essence of democracy is no longer felt in these wards.”
He said meaningful development cannot take place in the affected wards when elected councillors abandon their duty posts, noting that the people in the affected wards have been denied the dividends of democracy by such actions.
The Majority Leader cited Section 12(1) and Section 16 of the Edo State Local Government Law 2000, which state that a councillor’s seat can be declared vacant when he or she fails to attend one-third of the meetings held in the council in a calendar year and pointed out that the councillors have been absent from January to date, and said EDSIEC must immediately conduct by-elections in the various wards in the state.
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Speaking in the same vein, Hon. Addeh Isibor said there is a stipulated number of days, as quoted by the Majority Leader of the House, that councillors can be absent from meetings at the council before their seats can be declared vacant, noting that their actions are seriously damaging and harming local government administration in the state.
The majority of lawmakers who spoke during deliberation on the motion supported directing EDSIEC to immediately conduct by-elections in the affected wards.
Consequently, the lawmakers, after deliberation on the motion, voted unanimously in support of directing EDSIEC to conduct by-elections in the various wards within three weeks.
The House had earlier announced the receipt of a letter from the office of the governor presenting five additional names as commissioner-nominees and four nominees as Chairman and members of the Edo State Civil Service Commission for screening and confirmation.
Recall that the House had, on Monday, August 25, 2025, passed the bill for a law to repeal the Edo State Gaming Law 2020 and to enact a law to provide for the Edo State Lottery, Establishment of the Edo State Lottery Regulatory Commission, and the Edo State Lottery Trust Fund.
