JUST IN: Court Stops Kano LG Polls, Sacks Electoral Commission Chairman, Members

A Federal High Court in Kano has disqualified the Chairman and members of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) from conducting the upcoming local government elections, originally scheduled for October 26, 2024.

The court, presided over by Justice S.A. Amobede, ruled that the KANSIEC Chairman and other members of the Commission were ineligible for their roles, as they were card-carrying members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and did not meet the civil service requirement of being above grade level 14. The ruling came just four days before the local elections.

The judgement was delivered in response to a lawsuit filed by Aminu Aliyu Tiga, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against KANSIEC, the Attorney General of Kano State, and other defendants. Tiga argued that the appointment of the KANSIEC officials violated both the 1999 Constitution and Kano State electoral laws, which mandate neutrality and non-partisanship in such positions.

Justice Amobede upheld Tiga’s claims, stating that the appointment of the KANSIEC officials breached constitutional and legal provisions. He declared that KANSIEC, as currently constituted, could not legally oversee the 2024 local government elections across Kano’s 44 local governments. Furthermore, the court ruled that the Secretary of KANSIEC, Kabir Zakirai, was unqualified for his position as he did not hold the required civil service rank.

As a result, the court invalidated all actions taken by KANSIEC in preparation for the election, including the issuance of guidelines, sale of nomination forms, and candidate screenings. Justice Amobede also ordered the immediate removal of the KANSIEC officials and restrained the Commission from proceeding with the elections until qualified individuals are appointed in line with the relevant laws.

The court further directed security agencies to ensure full compliance with the ruling, effectively halting the upcoming local government polls in Kano State.