Kano LG polls: APC urges court to stop INEC from releasing voter register

By Bashir Bello, KANO

The major opposition political party in Kano, the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Friday instituted a fresh suit against the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, before the Federal High Court sitting in Kano.

The party is asking the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from releasing voter register for the conduct of the council poll.

The plaintiffs, APC and the party Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, instituted the suit through their counsel, Ismail Abdulaziz.

They also sought an interlocutory application to restrain the state electoral body from continuing with the process and conduct of the council election slated for 26th October, 2024.

Defendants joined in the suit include, the Kano State Attorney General, Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, KANSIEC Chairman, Sani Lawan and other members.

Abdulaziz said, “we are asking for the court to interpret some provisions of the constitution, KANSIEC guidelines, the law itself in seeking whether KANSIEC is a revenue generating agency and considering that the N9m and N4m requested to be paid by Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates by KANSIEC were exorbitant.

“We want the court to determine whether KANSIEC will be impartial looking at present members that constituted the commission.

“We are also seeking the court to order INEC not to release election materials such as voter register to KANSIEC until the commission abide by the provision of the constitution.

“We now sought for interlocutory injunction to restrain the continuation of the continuing with process and conduct of the election. The defendants did not receive our processes and the court adjourned till next Friday so that all the parties to file their responses,” Abdulaziz said.

Moving the application before the Presiding Judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, on Friday the court adjourned the matter till 11th October, 2024 and ordered the plaintiffs to serve the defendants.

Meanwhile, in a related matter, the Counsels to Kano State government, Rilwanu Umar SAN and Kano State House of Assembly, Bar. Bashir Yusuf said they have filed a preliminary objections before the Justice Amobeda challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear matters concerning KANSIEC.

The Counsels said only state high court and state assembly have the powers to entertain any matter that border on regulations of KANSIEC and not federal agency or so.

Kano state government application came in response to motion on notice moved by APC and one Aliyu Aminu Tiga on why the court should not stop the conduct of the election.

Recall one Aminu Aliyu Tiga and the APC had earlier filed an application seeking the court to stop the electoral body from conducting the elections in which Justice Amobeda in interim refused to grant and however noted that the defendants shall be put on notice to show cause why the prayers shall not be granted.

The Court presided by Justice Simon Amobeda however adjourned the matter till 11th October for hearing.

Vanguard News