A group, the Nigerian Democracy Working Group has rejected the ruling of the Federal High Court in Kano which declared the chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), Prof Sani Malumfashi and members of the commission unfit to conduct elections into the local government areas in the state.
The Kano State House of Assembly also affirmed that the local government elections will proceed as scheduled for Saturday October 26, 2024, despite the court order which came barely four days to the LGA polls.
In its response to the court order, the Nigerian Democracy Working Group announced its intention to file a petition against Justice Simeon Amobeda of the Federal High Court, Kano over the order.
In a statement signed by Dr Vincent Okpara Innocent and Dr Idris Mohammed, Convener and Co-Convener respectively, the group condemned the judgment as an attempt to undermine democracy.
It also expressed concerns that the recent actions of the Federal High Court judges in Kano have left a negative impression on the citizens, who have long been accustomed to conflicting court orders, allegedly resulting into chaos in the state.
The statement said, “In a true democracy that respects the people’s will, courts should not devolve into entities that foster confusion and social unrest. Their primary role is to promote social and legal justice, which this judgment fails to uphold. Consequently, the judiciary’s legitimacy is called into question.”
The group also criticised the Federal High Courts in Kano for allegedly appearing to destabilise the peace of the state.
They questioned how a competent court could disregard the interests of over 20 million citizens by obstructing a long-planned election, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s directives for timely local government elections across the nation.
They denounced the ruling as insensitive and detrimental to democracy and social justice, urging all Nigerians to reject this “irrational” decision, which they view as a miscarriage of justice.
The group further expressed concern over recent judicial trends in politically sensitive cases, suggesting that the courts were undermining democracy and tarnishing their credibility.
They called upon the judiciary to uphold its sacred duty to administer justice, warning against the collusion of corrupt judges with self-serving politicians that distort the electoral process.
As advocates for democracy and good governance, the group condemned the court’s decision as an affront to public interest, emphasising that such rulings could further erode public confidence in the judiciary.
It appealed to the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to take decisive action against Justice Simeon Amobeda, describing his ruling as a contradiction to an existing order from the Kano State High Court prohibiting interference in the election process.
The group stressed the need for accountability and reform within the judiciary to restore its integrity and credibility.
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