A Federal High Court in Kano has dismissed the 44 chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) just hours before the scheduled elections, which had previously been halted by the court.
Presiding over the case, Justice Simon Amobede delivered the ruling in a suit filed by a faction of the party led by Dalhatu Shehu Usman. The judge instructed this faction to submit its list of candidates to the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) for approval.
The defendants in the case included the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), KANSIEC, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
After reviewing the originating summons filed on 8th October 2024, Justice Amobede prohibited INEC from releasing the voters’ register to KANSIEC. The court also mandated the acceptance of the plaintiffs’ list.
“The first defendant (INEC) is hereby restrained from releasing the voters’ register to the second defendant (KANSIEC) for the conduct of the proposed election on 26th October 2024,” the judge stated.
Furthermore, the court directed that the second defendant (KANSIEC) must accept the candidate list submitted by the recognised State Chairman of the party, Dalhatu Shehu Usman, in accordance with the party’s constitution, while rejecting any alternative submissions for the 2024 Local Government Election in Kano State.
Additionally, the third and fourth defendants (Police and DSS) were ordered to refrain from providing security and protection at the election venue set for 26th October 2024.
Leave a Reply