Renowned lawyer and human rights activist, Malachy Ugwummadu, has raised concerns over the persistent tendency to file election-related lawsuits in Abuja, despite local courts in Port Harcourt being more appropriate venues. Speaking during an interview with Arise News from 22:19, Ugwummadu questioned the convenience of avoiding the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt and instead rushing to Abuja for judicial actions, even in matters concerning Rivers State.
He emphasized that the judiciary should take a deeper interest in the motivations behind this recurring choice. His comments come at a time when there are growing concerns over the autonomy of local governments in Nigeria, especially in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on local council elections.
Ugwummadu cited a landmark Supreme Court decision which asserted that local governments must be democratically elected to access funding. According to him, this ruling aligns with Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution, reinforcing the autonomy and democratic election of local government councils across the country. He questioned the ease with which some parties seem to sidestep this judicial authority.
“The Judiciary authority insists that election petition matters concerning local councils should terminate at the State High Court. So, are we saying we ignored all of that?” Ugwummadu asked. He pointed to what he described as a deliberate effort to circumvent the Supreme Court’s directives, which set clear guidelines on how local government elections should proceed, especially concerning funding and governance.
In his words;
“If you review what has happened. There’s a Federal High Court In Port Harcourt, why is it convenient that at every turn and curve, with the slightest cause of action, they run to Abuja. Why? The Judiciary should interested in that. In any case, there’s a Judiciary authority that insists that election petition matters of Local council terminates at the State High Court. So are we saying that we did not all of that? To what extent was it convenient to completely circumvent the position of the Supreme Court in relation to what must happen going forward regarding the autonomy of Local Governments. The Supreme Court decision, Attorney General of Federation and Attorney General of Abia State made it explicitly clear Local Governments in the country shall not be entitled to their funding if they are not according to section 7 of the constitution democratically elected.”