By TAIYE AGBAJE

Two indigenes of Kogi have prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain Gov. Usman Ododo from sacking the 21 chairmen of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.

They also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Ododo from appointing or imposing caretaker or interim committees to run the affairs of the LGAs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the plaintiffs; Mustapha Abdul and Ahmed Haruna, through their lawyer, I. Ibrahim, filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1490/2026, on July 10.

They also sued the Attorney-General of Kogi, Kogi State House of Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC).

In the originating summons brought pursuant to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and under the inherent powers of the court, the plaintiffs sought six questions for determination.

They said considering Sections 1(1), (2) and (3), 4(7), 5 (2) (a) and (b) and (3) 14 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), whether Ododo can validly dissolve a democratically-elected LGA chairmen’s tenure “clandestinely after two years of their election into office.”

They want the court to determine whether the tenure of the chairmen of the 21 LGAs, alongside their cabinet, has expired considering the provision of Section 51 (1) Part Vi of the state’s Local Government Administration Law, 2025 viz-a-viz the 1999 Constitution.

Abdul and Haruna sought a declaration that by cumulative assessment of provisions of the constitution, the governor cannot validly dissolve democratically-elected LG chairmen’s tenure “clandestinely after two years of their election into office.”

They prayed the court to declare that the tenure, as executive chairmen of the 21 Kogi LGAs, alongside their cabinet, has not expired considering the provision of the state’s LG Law, 2025 viz-a-viz the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

In the affidavit deposed to by Haruna, he said he and his co-plaintiff hail from the state.

He said while he is from Sharia in Bassa LGA, Abdul is from Alloma in Ofu LGA.

He said as indigenes, registered voters and taxpayers of their respective aforementioned LGAs, they were directly affected by the administration of local governments in Kogi, which constitute the third tier of government under the 1999 Constitution.

According to him, Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the system of democratically elected local government councils.

He averred that there was no provision in the 1999 Constitution, the state’s LG Law or any other extant law that empowers the governor, either personally or through his agents, to dissolve elected LG chairmen.

He said Ododo’s threat had caused him and other indigenes of the state apprehension, anxiety, and fear of constitutional breach at the grassroots level.

The case has been assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo for adjudication. (NAN)

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