The Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area, Aminu Ladan, has taken legal action against the Niger State governor, Umar Bago, for attempting to reduce the tenure of council chairman and councillors, saying this is unconstitutional and cant be allowed to stand.
Aminu, who is challenging a move by the state governor to reduce the term of office for council chairmen and councillors from four years to three, insisted there was no provision of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act that indicated such time frame.
In a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the council boss appealed that the court halt the upcoming local government elections slated for November 1 across Niger State.
He is also requesting that the court restrain the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) and other involved parties from proceeding with the poll until the current tenure lapses.
The legal action, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2025, lists five defendants: the Attorney-General of Niger State, the Niger State House of Assembly, NSIEC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Inspector-General of Police.
In his originating summons, filed by his counsel, Chris Udeoyibo, Aminu raised eight constitutional issues, including whether the state government has the power to enforce the Local Government Law, 2001 (as amended), which he argues contradicts Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Sections 018 and 150 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“Should Niger State Local Government Law Section 29 (2) be declared unconstitutional for clashing with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022?” the chairman asked.
He is also seeking a judicial declaration that a four-year tenure for local government officials is guaranteed by law and cannot be arbitrarily altered by state legislation.
Additionally, the plaintiff wants INEC and the Inspector-General of Police barred from offering any form of support, logistical or security-related, for the proposed November elections.
However, the suit has not yet been assigned to a judge.
