Plateau Court Upholds Four-Year Tenure for LG Chairmen

On Friday, the Plateau State court, presided over by Hon. Justice David Mann, ruled in favor of a four-year tenure for elected local government chairmen, stating that a two-year term contradicts constitutional provisions that guarantee a democratic electoral system for local governance. The court directed that the two-year tenure prescribed by the Plateau State Local Government Law be discarded.

Anani Hamisu Moham, the chairman of Wase Local Government Area, challenged Section 23(1) of the Plateau State Local Government Law, which prescribes the two-year term, arguing that it conflicts with Sections 112 and 153 of the Electoral Act and Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution. The court concluded that a shorter tenure undermines the constitutional framework for local government administration and cannot be upheld.

This decision aligns with the expectation of democratic governance at the grassroots level and comes ahead of local government elections scheduled for September 2026 in Plateau State.