The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has publicly declared Saturday’s local government elections, conducted by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), as illegal.
The APC claims the elections are void due to an unaddressed court order prohibiting the polls, fueling a tense environment surrounding the legitimacy of the vote.
A key figure within the APC, Rabi’u Bichi, expressed the party’s stance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday. Bichi referenced a Federal High Court ruling by Justice Simon Amobede, which deemed the leadership of KANSIEC as “partisan and biased towards the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).”
The judgment, according to Bichi, invalidated KANSIEC’s authority over the elections. “The judge ruled that the leadership of KANSIEC was partisan and biased towards the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the state,” he stated. He added that, since there has been no appeal to overturn this ruling, any results from the election should be considered illegitimate.
Furthermore, Bichi highlighted a separate recent Federal High Court judgment, which nullified all NNPP chairmanship candidates for the elections.
This additional legal outcome, he argued, further underlines the alleged illegitimacy of the ongoing election process. The APC leader urged party members to remain calm, asserting that the party is taking legal steps to challenge the election results.
On the other side of the debate, Prof. Sani Malumfashi, the KANSIEC chairman, has defended the electoral commission’s actions, insisting that it is operating within legal parameters. “Every activity of the commission is procedural. We are not partisan,” he stated.
Malumfashi also advised all KANSIEC staff and temporary workers to remain vigilant against corruption, specifically highlighting the importance of preventing underage voting and ensuring that the election runs without bribery. He reiterated KANSIEC’s commitment to fair elections, emphasizing that the commission’s role is purely procedural and law-abiding.
Addressing the issue of potential election misconduct, Malumfashi reminded all political participants that activities such as vote-buying, violent conduct, and other electoral violations directly oppose Kano State’s electoral guidelines. He stressed that adherence to these standards is critical for a fair election process.
The election controversy stems from a recent Kano State High Court ruling, which supported KANSIEC’s jurisdiction to conduct the local elections as scheduled on Saturday, October 24, 2024.
Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji, presiding over Kano State High Court No. 15, ruled in favor of KANSIEC’s mandate, rejecting the argument that the commission lacked the authority to carry out the elections. In his judgment, Justice Maaji stated that the plaintiff’s claims did not provide sufficient grounds to halt the election.
