Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the ongoing local government elections across the state.
Grassroots Parrot reports that the elections are currently holding amid several court orders and counter orders for and against the elections.
Speaking shortly after casting his vote at his ward in Ciranci, Gwale Local Government of the state, on Saturday morning, the governor expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the exercise.
He explained that security updates have confirmed that no chaos has been recorded so far during the exercise across the state.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State says the Saturday local government elections being conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) are illegal.
A chieftain of the party, Rabi’u Bichi, made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kano.
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“The party’s stance is informed by a court order by Justice Simon Amobede of the Federal High Court, Kano, which still stands and which has rendered the election null and void.
“The judge ruled that the leadership of KANSIEC was partisan and biased towards the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the state.
“Since the judgment has not been appealed, the APC considers any outcome of the election illegal,” he said.
The APC chieftain also pointed to a recent Federal High Court judgment that quashed all NNPP chairmanship candidates for the elections, which he said had further reinforced the party’s claims that the election is illegal.
He, however, urged all members of the party to exercise restraint and await the final outcome of the legal moves being made by the party to challenge the conduct of the polls.
NAN reports that the KANSIEC chairman, Prof. Sani Malumfashi, insisted that the commission is conducting its activities within the bounds of the law. “Every activity of the commission is procedural. We are not partisan.”
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He further urged KANSIEC staff and ad hoc staff to resist any temptation of bribery and ensure that underage children are not allowed to vote.
Malumfashi also reminded politicians that vote-buying, thuggery, and other forms of violence contravene the state’s electoral guidelines.
He stressed that all Democrats and advocates of democracy are expected to respect Friday’s Kano High Court judgment, which authorized the election to proceed.
Earlier on Friday, Kano State High Court No. 15 affirmed KANSIEC’s jurisdiction to conduct the Kano State local government polls, scheduled to be held on Saturday, 24 October 2024.
In his judgment, Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji stated that the applicant had successfully proved their case.