Kano, Nigeria – A Federal High Court in Kano has disqualified all 44 chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) ahead of Saturday’s local government elections.
Justice Simon Amobeda delivered the ruling on Friday after a faction within the NNPP, represented by Engineer Muhammad Babayo, filed a lawsuit against the party’s leadership.
Justice Amobeda directed the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) to recognize a new list of candidates submitted by a faction under the officially recognized State Chairman, Dalhatu Shehu Usman, in alignment with the party’s constitution. He also issued an order barring the defendants from releasing the voters’ register to KANSIEC for the election scheduled on October 26, 2024.
Adding to the election’s uncertainties, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the leading opposition party in Kano, has formally withdrawn from the race. KANSIEC Chairman Prof. Sani Malumfashi announced the withdrawal at a news conference on Friday, noting that the APC did not participate in any election-related processes.
Despite these developments, Malumfashi confirmed that the commission would proceed with the election on Saturday, in compliance with an earlier ruling from a State High Court instructing KANSIEC to carry on with the election.
Join our Channel...