The Federal High Court in Kano has issued an order preventing the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) from proceeding with the scheduled local government elections in the state’s 44 local government areas.
Justice Simon Amobeda delivered the ruling on Tuesday, effectively halting all preparations for the elections, which were set to take place on the upcoming Saturday.
The lawsuit, filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a party member, Aminu Tiga, challenged the legality of the Kano State government’s appointment of the KANSIEC commissioners and its chairman.
The plaintiffs argued that the appointments of KANSIEC officials, who are reportedly members of the ruling New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), contravened the constitutional and electoral requirements for such positions.
Justice Amobeda’s ruling confirmed the plaintiff’s concerns, noting that the composition of KANSIEC’s leadership was flawed, rendering them unfit to oversee the local elections.
He emphasized that the evidence presented clearly demonstrated that the appointments did not adhere to the mandated constitutional and electoral guidelines.
Furthermore, the court has instructed security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the civil defence, not to engage in or provide security for the conduct of the elections until KANSIEC is reconstituted according to legal standards.
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