Court Rejects APC‘s Prayer To Stop Kano LG Election

A Federal High Court in Kano rejected the All Progressives Congress (APC) application to stop the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) from conducting the local government election.

In a motion ex parte filed on 20th September before Justice Simon Amobeda by the APC and one Hon. Aminu Aliyu Tiga against the state electoral umpire, Kano State House of Assembly, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice and 11 other defendants, the plaintiffs urged the court to grant an interim injunction to restrain the conduct of the council election across the 44 LGA’s.

The plaintiffs also sought the leave of the court for an interim injunction directing all parties to maintain the status quo and for the electoral body, particularly to take no further actions regarding the preparation for the conduct of the poll in Kano, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

APC had further asked the court to grant leave to the bailiff to serve KANSIEC and State Assembly and two other defendants with all the processes in the suit through any staff or officer at the office of the Attorney General of the state.

Responding to APC prayers, Justice Amobeda, in court documents stamped and signed on the 25th of September, 2024, declined to grant an interim injunction seeking to stop KANSIEC from perfecting arrangements for the processes of the conduct of local government election already slated to hold on 26th October, 2024.
The court, however, granted APC the right to put KANSIEC and other defendants on notice of all processes while abridging the hearing for the substantive application to five days beginning from the date of service of the originating process and the court’s order to the defendants.

The presiding judge adjourned the hearing to 4th October 2024 with a commitment to accelerate the hearing on the matter, accompanied by stern caution to parties against any act that will prejudice the hearing and quick determination of the matter.

Before APC failed to foil the conduct of the council election, Justice Ado Maaji of the state high court had granted an interim injunction restraining APC, PDP, NNPP and 16 other recognised political parties from taking any action that will tamper with the statutory responsibility of KANSIEC on the conduct of the council poll.