1 month ago
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The opposition All Progressives Congress in Kano State has filed a lawsuit against the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, seeking to stop the state’s local government election slated for October 26.
The party aims to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the voter register for the forthcoming local government elections scheduled for October 26, 2024.
The lawsuit, initiated by the APC and its Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, through their counsel, Ismail Abdulaziz, also seeks an interlocutory injunction to restrain KANSIEC from proceeding with the election process.
The defendants in this case include the Kano State Attorney General, KANSIEC, INEC, the Attorney General of the Federation, KANSIEC Chairman, Sani Lawan, and other members of the commission.
In the filing, Abdulaziz stated, “We are asking the court to interpret provisions of the Constitution, KANSIEC guidelines, and relevant laws to ascertain whether KANSIEC operates as a revenue-generating agency, particularly given the exorbitant fees of N9m and N4m imposed on chairmanship and councillorship candidates, respectively.”
He further explained that the APC seeks a court ruling on whether KANSIEC can conduct impartial elections, considering the current composition of the commission.
Additionally, they are requesting an order preventing INEC from releasing election materials, including the voter register, to KANSIEC until the commission adheres to constitutional requirements.
During the hearing presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda, the court adjourned the matter until October 11, 2024, allowing all parties to file their responses.
In a related development, legal representatives for the Kano State government, Rilwanu Umar (SAN), and the Kano State House of Assembly, Bashir Yusuf, have submitted preliminary objections challenging the court’s jurisdiction over KANSIEC-related matters.
They argue that only the state high court and the state Assembly possess the authority to address issues concerning KANSIEC’s regulations, not a federal court.
This legal challenge comes in response to motions filed by the APC and Aliyu Tiga, seeking to halt the election process.
While Justice Amobeda initially declined to grant the request, he noted that the defendants must justify why the relief sought by the APC should not be granted.
The court has since set a new hearing date for October 11 to continue the proceedings.
