A Plateau State High Court in Jos has ruled that Local Government Chairmen in the state will now serve a four-year tenure, overturning the previous two-year term outlined by Plateau State and PLASIEC laws. The decision was delivered Friday by the Chief Judge of Plateau State, Hon. Justice David Mann, who emphasized that the shorter tenure conflicts with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended.
The court noted that the two-year term provided under state law undermines the constitutional guarantee of a democratically elected local government system. “The shorter tenure contradicts the constitutional framework for local government administration and therefore cannot stand,” the judgment read.
This ruling aligns the tenure of elected local government chairmen with constitutional expectations for democratic governance at the grassroots level, ensuring greater ility and continuity in local administration. The judgment also reinforces the supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution over state legislation in matters relating to the democratic mandate of local government officials.
The decision comes ahead of the local government elections scheduled for September 2026, as announced by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission PLASIEC. Legal experts suggest that the ruling may influence other states with similar tenure arrangements and underscores the judiciary’s role in safeguarding constitutional governance.
Local government officials and political observers have welcomed the ruling, noting that a four-year tenure allows chairmen sufficient time to implement policies and developmental projects without frequent electoral interruptions.
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