The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) on Sunday issued certificates of return to 44 newly elected local government chairmen and 484 Councillors, all members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), following their victory in Saturday’s local government elections.
The certificates were presented by KANSIEC Chairman, Professor Sani Malumfashi, who reaffirmed the commission’s duty to formalise the election results by validating the elected officials.
“By requirements of the electoral processes, the commission is yet saddled with the responsibilities of issuing Certificates of Return to the elected Chairmen and Councillors as legitimate leaders of their own local government areas,” Malumfashi stated.
He emphasised the peaceful conduct of the election, describing it as “a doubtless manifestation of public acceptability of the exercise in terms of credibility, fairness, and decency.”
LEADERSHIP reports Governor Abba Yusuf is expected to swear in the chairmen soon at the Kano Government House, as the officials prepare to assume their roles and address the needs of their respective LGAs.
Despite the NNPP’s landslide win, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has raised concerns, declaring the election process illegal.
A prominent leader of the main opposition APC in the state, Rabi’u Bichi, argued in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the election was held in violation of a court order from Justice Simon Amoabede of the Federal High Court in Kano.
According to Bichi, the court’s ruling questioned KANSIEC’s impartiality, stating that the commission’s leadership was “partisan and biased towards the ruling NNPP.”
“Since the judgment has not been appealed, the APC considers any outcome of the election illegal,” Bichi asserted.
He also referenced another Federal High Court ruling that nullified all NNPP chairmanship candidates’ participation in the elections as a basis for the APC’s stance that the results from the polls were invalid.
