The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has publicly condemned the local government elections conducted on Saturday by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), asserting that the elections are illegal based on a prior court ruling that they claim invalidates the process.
According to APC leader Rabi’u Bichi, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a recent order from the Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Simon Amobede, remains enforceable and, as such, negates the legitimacy of the election. Bichi explained that the court’s decision indicated that the current leadership of KANSIEC lacks neutrality and has shown bias in favor of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), which, according to him, compromises the commission’s ability to conduct a fair and impartial election.
“Our party’s position stems from an existing court order issued by Justice Simon Amobede of the Federal High Court in Kano. This order has not been overturned, and it has already rendered the election null and void based on the bias displayed by KANSIEC’s leadership,” Bichi emphasized.
The APC further claims that Justice Amobede's ruling effectively disqualified the KANSIEC board, alleging it failed to maintain political impartiality, which the APC argues is essential to a lawful electoral process.
“The judge made a ruling indicating that KANSIEC’s leadership is aligned with the NNPP, compromising the objectivity required of a commission that oversees elections,” Bichi continued, adding that the APC deems any results from the election to be illegal as long as the judgment remains unchallenged.
Additionally, Bichi cited another recent Federal High Court judgment which, according to him, disqualified all NNPP candidates for chairmanship positions in the local government elections, reinforcing the APC’s stance that the election should be regarded as void.
The APC leader called on party members to be patient and remain steadfast as the party explores further legal channels to challenge the election’s validity.
However, in response to the APC’s assertions, KANSIEC Chairman Prof. Sani Malumfashi maintained that the commission’s actions are in strict accordance with legal guidelines and procedural requirements. He reiterated KANSIEC’s commitment to impartiality and emphasized that the commission is adhering to a mandate to carry out a credible election process.
Prof. Malumfashi assured the public that KANSIEC has instructed all staff and volunteers involved in the election to uphold principles of fairness, avoid corrupt practices, ensure that participants meet age requirements, and maintain a strong stance against vote-buying or any form of violence.
He pointed out that a recent decision by the Kano State High Court upheld KANSIEC’s authority to conduct the elections, with Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji of Kano State High Court No. 15 ruling on Friday that KANSIEC’s jurisdiction to proceed with the local government elections remains intact. Prof. Malumfashi referenced the High Court ruling as a confirmation of the commission’s lawful role in organizing the polls and argued that any claims of partisanship or bias were unsubstantiated in light of this recent decision.
Justice Maaji's decision acknowledged that the applicant’s argument had sufficiently justified KANSIEC’s legal mandate to conduct the election as scheduled, providing additional judicial support for the electoral process.