The Kano State Government has welcomed the Friday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which set aside an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Kano that sought to stop the conduct of local government elections in the state.
In a statement issued by Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the government expressed “joy and satisfaction” with what it described as a landmark judgment.
LEADERSHIP reports that the appellate court, presided over by Justice Oyewumi, ruled that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a matter concerning the conduct of local government elections.
The suit had originally been filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), challenging the credibility of the elections and alleging bias by the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), Prof. Sani Lawan Malumfashi.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal upheld the appeal filed by the Kano State Government and nullified the earlier decision of the lower court.
The judgment, the state government said, affirmed that the elections held across the 44 local government areas and 484 wards were valid and legally binding.
“The judgment has further vindicated the commitment of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the State Independent Electoral Commission, towards conducting a credible, free and fair election that has ushered in the elected officials across the 44 local governments councils areas and 484 Wards of the state,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the APC in Kano has indicated that it may proceed to the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment.
Speaking to journalists following the ruling, the APC spokesperson in Kano, Ahmad Aruwan, said “our legal advisors will study the judgment and the party as a whole will take a decision on whether or not to challenge it.”
APC maintains that the court’s ruling only addressed jurisdiction and not the substance of its allegations, suggesting further legal options may still be on the table.
“The appeal court today ruled the federal high court had no jurisdiction but our claims were not dismissed regarding the fact that KANSIEC had no legal ground to conduct that election because the leaders were all card-carrying members of the NNPP,” Aruwa emphasised.
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