The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the local government elections conducted by the Kano State Government in October 2024.
The appellate court nullified a ruling by the Federal High Court in Kano, which invalidated the election conducted on October 26, 2024, by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC)
The three-member panel of the appellate court, in its judgement on Friday, held that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) seeking to halt the elections.
The APC had argued that the Chairman of KANSIEC, Prof. Sani Malumfashi, along with several commissioners, were members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), thereby compromising the integrity of the polls.
Based on the claims, Justice A.M. Liman of the Federal High Court had ruled in favour of the APC and ordered the suspension of the elections.
Despite the court order, the local government polls went ahead as scheduled.
However, delivering judgment on Friday, Justice O. O. Oyewumi set aside the earlier ruling, declaring the lower court’s intervention as a clear overreach of its constitutional powers.
The appellate court maintained that matters concerning local government elections fall outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
