Prosper Okoye
A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on Friday ruled that elected local government chairmen in the state must serve a four-year term, nullifying the current two-year tenure.
Delivering the judgment, Chief Judge David Mann said the two-year tenure under Plateau State laws and the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) was inconsistent with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The two-year tenure contradicts constitutional provisions guaranteeing a democratically elected local government system,” Justice Mann said, adding that the shorter tenure undermines the framework for local government administration.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe consequently declared that all elected local government chairmen should serve four years, aligning their tenure with constitutional expectations for democratic governance at the grassroots level.
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The judgment comes two days after PLASIEC approved adjustments to the timetable for the 2026 local government elections. Political parties were given extra time to conduct primaries, with campaigns ending at midnight on September 7. The elections are scheduled to hold on September 9 across the 17 local government areas, with voting set from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to PLASIEC Secretary Pam Davou.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
