The Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger State, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu-Ladan, has sued the state government to court over what he described as an unlawful attempt to shorten the tenure of elected local government officials.
He has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the Niger State Local Government Law, 2001.
This reduces the tenure of local council chairmen and councillors from four years to three.
The chairman is asking the court to declare the amendment unconstitutional, arguing that it contradicts both the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.
“Should Niger State Local Government Law Section 29 (2) be declared unconstitutional for clashing with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022,” the suit reads.
The matter was filed on July 11, 2025, through his lawyer, Chris Udeoyibo, under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2025. The chairman is seeking the court’s interpretation on eight specific legal questions related to the validity and enforcement of the state law.
Named as defendants in the suit are the Attorney-General of Niger State, the Niger State House of Assembly, the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Inspector-General of Police.
Yakubu-Ladan is also asking the court to halt preparations for the November 1 local government elections across Niger State until the current tenure of elected chairmen and councillors runs its full constitutional course.
He is seeking, “an order restraining the defendants from the elections on Nov. 1 until the expiration of a four-year tenure for chairmen and councillors,” and also wants the court to stop INEC and the IGP from providing logistical and security support for the poll.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NSIEC has already scheduled the election for November 1, despite growing concerns from some stakeholders.
The case is yet to be assigned to a judge as at press time.
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