Plateau Court Restores Four-Year Tenure for LG Chairmen

On a Friday ruling, the Plateau State High Court, presided over by Justice David Mann, nullified the two-year tenure for elected local government chairmen in the state, declaring it inconsistent with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The court determined that the shorter tenure contradicted constitutional provisions that guarantee democratic elections at the local government level.

Consequently, the court restored the four-year term for local government chairmen, emphasizing that the two-year tenure, as established by Plateau State law, undermined the constitutional framework for local government administration. Following this ruling, the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission was instructed to adjust its timeline for the upcoming local government elections, which are scheduled to take place across 17 local government areas on September 9, 2026.

Political parties have until midnight on September 7, 2026, to conduct their primaries in preparation for the elections.