The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has taken legal action to stop the upcoming local government elections scheduled for October 26, 2024. The party has filed a lawsuit against the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), questioning the legality and fairness of the election process.
The APC, led by its chairman Abdullahi Abbas, aims to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register for the election. Represented by their lawyer, Ismail Abdulaziz, the party also seeks an injunction to stop KANSIEC from proceeding with preparations for the elections.
In their court filing, the APC raised concerns about the high fees KANSIEC imposed on candidates. According to Abdulaziz, the electoral body is charging N9 million for chairmanship candidates and N4 million for councillorship candidates, which the APC argues is excessive.
“We are asking the court to interpret provisions of the Constitution, KANSIEC guidelines, and relevant laws to ascertain whether KANSIEC operates as a revenue-generating agency,” Abdulaziz stated.
The lawsuit also questions whether KANSIEC, in its current composition, can conduct a fair and impartial election. The APC has requested the court to issue an order preventing INEC from releasing voter registers and other election materials to KANSIEC until the commission complies with constitutional guidelines.
The defendants in the case include the Attorney General of Kano State, the Chairman of KANSIEC, Sani Lawan, other members of the commission, and the Attorney General of the Federation.
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The case, presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda, was initially heard in court, but no immediate decision was made. The court has adjourned the matter until October 11, 2024, to allow all parties to file their responses.
Meanwhile, legal representatives for the Kano State government, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Rilwanu Umar, and the Kano State House of Assembly, represented by Bashir Yusuf, have raised objections. They argue that the federal court lacks jurisdiction to rule on KANSIEC-related matters, asserting that only the state high court or the state Assembly has the authority to address issues involving KANSIEC’s regulations.