The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has declared the local government elections held by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) as invalid. The party’s position is based on a High Court ruling, which, according to them, has not been appealed and renders the election void.
“We are acting in accordance with a court order issued by Justice Simon Amobede of the Federal High Court, Kano, which has not been appealed and remains in effect,” said Rabi’u Bichi, an APC chieftain. “The court found that the leadership of KANSIEC was biased towards the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and as a result, its conduct was partial.”
The court ruling was based on the commission’s alleged bias towards the ruling party in the state. Additionally, Bichi pointed out that the Federal High Court recently disqualified all chairmanship candidates of the NNPP, further solidifying the APC’s stance that the election is invalid.
To their members, Bichi urged patience as the party continues to pursue legal remedies to challenge the election process.
On the other hand, KANSIEC Chairman Sani Malumfashi claimed that the commission is acting lawfully and following established procedures. He emphasized KANSIEC’s non-partisan nature and the measures taken to ensure the integrity of the election, including the enforcement of age requirements and the rejection of any attempts at vote-buying or violence.
Moreover, KANSIEC’s chairman reminded participants that a recent High Court decision granted the commission the authority to proceed with the elections. In this decision, Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji of Kano State High Court No. 15 upheld KANSIEC’s jurisdiction to conduct the local government polls, further backing the commission’s claim.
