Court Sacks Kano Electoral Commission Chairman, Members, Stops LG Polls
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has disqualified the chairman and members of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, from conducting the scheduled local government elections in the state.
The court ruled that the KANSIEC chairman and other members of the Commission are card carrying members of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, and also are not civil servants above grade level 14.
This is coming barely four days to the Kano LG elections, scheduled for Saturday October 26, 2024.
The court presided by Justice S.A Amobede made the declaration while delivering judgement in a suit filed by Aminu Aliyu Tiga, an All Progressives Congress, APC, member against KANSIEC, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, and 14 others.
According to him, “The defendants being card carrying members of the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) and in partisan politics contrary to the Section 197 (1) (b) and Section 200 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 4 of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2001, are not qualified to be the Chairman and Members of the of the Defendant, (KANSIEC).”
The judge further ruled that “Kabir Zakirai, the Secretary of the Commission, not being an officer in the Kano State Civil Service not below the rank of Director prior to his appointment as Secretary of the Commission, is not qualified to be appointed to the position pursuant to Section 14 of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2001”.