The Kano State High Court affirmed on Friday that the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) is authorized to conduct the local government elections scheduled for Saturday. This decision came after Justice Sunusi Ado-Ma’aji upheld that the Nigerian constitution empowers KANSIEC to organize, supervise, and oversee elections across Kano’s 44 local government areas.
Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Rilwanu Umar, KANSIEC filed a motion on September 20 requesting the court to prevent any attempts by certain political parties to disrupt the electoral process. The suit named multiple political parties as respondents, including the Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress (APC), and Labour Party, among others.
In his ruling, Justice Ado-Ma’aji emphasized that any interference with the electoral process would be nullified. He also directed security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property during the elections.
Reacting to the judgment, Nura Adamu-Isa, counsel for the APC, clarified that his client was not disputing KANSIEC’s authority to conduct elections but rather the composition of the electoral body, which he claimed was in violation of both the Nigerian constitution and KANSIEC laws established in 2001. He noted that the APC would review the judgment before determining its next steps.
Meanwhile, KANSIEC Commissioner for Legal and Voter Matters, Mukhtar Dandago, confirmed that the election would proceed as planned and encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers to support their preferred candidates.
However, there remains a pending appeal following a ruling by Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano, who had previously declared KANSIEC’s leadership as illegally constituted. This Federal Court ruling barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing voter registers to KANSIEC and restricted security agencies from participating in the election.
The legal challenges cast uncertainty over KANSIEC’s structure, even as preparations for the election continue.
