A Federal High Court in Kano has nullified the scheduled local government elections in Kano State, initially set for October 26, 2024, following the disqualification of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) chairman and its members. Justice S.A. Amobede, who presided over the case, ruled that the commission's leadership was unfit to conduct the elections due to their affiliations with the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and their failure to meet the necessary civil service qualifications.
The ruling highlighted that the KANSIEC officials were card-carrying members of the NNPP, a violation of Section 197(1)(b) and Section 200(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Section 4 of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2001. Justice Amobede emphasized that these provisions strictly prohibit individuals involved in partisan politics from holding key electoral positions. Furthermore, the court found Kabir Zakirai, the commission's secretary, unqualified for his role, as he did not meet the civil service rank requirements prior to his appointment.
The judge declared that the composition of KANSIEC breached the constitutional guidelines and state law, rendering the commission incompetent to oversee the 2024 local government elections across Kano's 44 local government areas. Consequently, any election-related activities carried out by the commission, including the issuance of guidelines, screening of candidates, and the sale of nomination forms, were deemed null and void.
Justice Amobede ordered the immediate dismissal of the KANSIEC officials and restrained the commission from proceeding with the elections until qualified individuals are appointed in compliance with the law. The court also mandated security agencies to enforce the ruling, ensuring that the election process remains suspended until the legal requirements for appointing new commission members are fully met.
This development poses a significant setback for the local government election timeline in Kano, as the state now faces the challenge of appointing a new electoral body capable of conducting a credible and lawful election process.
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