Kano LG Polls: Court Hears APC’s Fresh Suit October 11

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has fixed October 11, 2024 for hearing on a fresh suit instituted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters register for the conduct of the forthcoming local government elections in the state.

The plaintiffs are the APC and the state party chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, who through their counsel, Ismail Abdulaziz, sought for an interlocutory application to restrain KASIEC from continuing with the process and conduct of the polls scheduled for October 26, 2024.

Defendants joined in the suit include the Kano State Attorney General, KANSIEC, INEC, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), KANSIEC chairman, Sani Lawan and other members.

Speaking with journalists on the suit, Abdulaziz explained that they want a court’s interpretation on some provisions of the constitution, KANSIEC guidelines and whether they are a revenue-generating agency looking at the high fees of N9 million and N4 million for chairmanship and councillorship positions.

He also noted that they want the court to determine whether KANSIEC would be impartial given the present members which constituted the commission, as well as ordering INEC not to release election materials such as voters register until the commission abides by the provision of the constitution.

“We now sought for interlocutory injunction to restrain the continuation of the elections process and conduct.

“The defendants did not receive our processes and the court adjourned till next Friday for all the parties to file their responses.”

Moving the application on Friday before the presiding judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, the court adjourned the matter till October 11, 2024 and ordered the plaintiffs to serve the defendants.

In a related development, Justice Amobeda has also adjourned a suit instituted by one Aminu Tiga and the APC seeking the court to stop KANSIEC from conducting the LG elections to October 11 for hearing.

Counsels to the Kano State government, Rilwanu Umar (SAN) and Kano State House of Assembly, Barr Bashir Yusuf, said they have filed preliminary objections before Justice Amobeda challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear matters concerning KANSIEC.