The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has called the Saturday local government elections, overseen by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), illegal. Rabi’u Bichi, a prominent APC chieftain, made this assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), citing an outstanding Federal High Court ruling that deems the election invalid due to alleged bias within KANSIEC.
According to Bichi, a court order from Justice Simon Amobede of the Federal High Court, Kano, still stands, rendering the KANSIEC-led elections “null and void” on grounds of partisanship in favor of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). This sentiment was further reinforced by another Federal High Court judgment, which disqualified all NNPP chairmanship candidates. With these judgments unchallenged, the APC asserts that any outcome from the election would be illegal.
Meanwhile, KANSIEC Chairman Prof. Sani Malumfashi defended the commission’s operations, assuring the public of its commitment to procedural integrity and non-partisanship. He urged both KANSIEC staff and ad hoc officials to resist any form of bribery and prevent underage children from voting, stressing that vote-buying, violence, and thuggery are prohibited under state electoral guidelines. Malumfashi also pointed to a recent Kano State High Court judgment affirming KANSIEC’s authority to conduct the polls, underscoring that the commission was legally empowered to move forward with the election.
The conflicting legal positions have sparked a tense atmosphere, with the APC calling on its members to exercise restraint and await the outcome of the party’s ongoing legal efforts to challenge the election’s validity. The mixed rulings — with the Federal High Court deeming KANSIEC biased and the Kano State High Court affirming its jurisdiction — have further fueled the political friction surrounding the elections.
