Mr. Aminu Yakubu Ladan, chairman of Chanchaga LGA in Niger, has been suspended by the local legislative council days after he sued the state government and the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) to halt the November 2025 local council polls.
Ladan had accused the state of plotting to remove him from office before the expiration of his four-year tenure.
Last week, he shared a photo with his legal team and announced he had taken legal action.
His words: “As executive chairman of Chanchaga local government, we have taken legal action against the national and state INEC to halt the planned November election.
“Our tenure is constitutionally four years, not three years, following the Supreme Court verdict. I pray that justice prevails.”
But in a letter dated July 28, 2025, and signed by eight out of 10 councillors, Ladan was served a notice of suspension, citing nine allegations ranging from financial misconduct to abuse of office.
The council invoked Sections 24, 26, 31, 38, and 39 of the Niger State Local Government Law as the basis for the suspension.
Among the charges were gross misconduct and misappropriation of council funds, illegal allocation of market plots, and awarding contracts without legislative oversight.
The letter also accused Ladan of refusing to provide financial statements, failing to organise Finance and General (F & G) Committee meetings, and repeatedly ignoring invitations from the council.
“The chairman has demonstrated consistent inability to uphold provisions of the law, undermining good governance and service delivery,” the councillors wrote.
They requested his immediate suspension pending investigation, giving him five working days to respond to the allegations or forfeit his right to a defence.
Signatories to the suspension notice include Yahuza Saidu (Makera), Abdulrahman Suleiman (Limawa ‘A’), Yusuf Suleiman (Nassarawa ‘A’), Aliyu Mohammed (Minna Central), Yahaya Usman (Tudun Wada South), Abubakar Abdullahi Abdullahi (Tudun Wada North), Ahmad Adamu Luya (Sabon Gari), and Rabiu Abubakar (Limawa ‘B’).
Two councillors, the majority leader representing Minna South Ward and the member for Nassarawa ‘B’ Ward, did not sign the notice.
Ladan had earlier lost his bid to secure the APC ticket for the upcoming council elections.
