Kano LG poll: APC seeks court injunction to bar INEC from releasing voter register

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano has filed a new lawsuit against the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) at the Federal High Court, Kano, seeking to halt the release of the voter register for the upcoming council elections.

The party is asking the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing election materials for the scheduled poll on October 26.

The APC, represented by its Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, and legal counsel, Ismail Abdulaziz, is seeking an interlocutory injunction to prevent KANSIEC from continuing the election process.

The party has raised concerns over alleged exorbitant fees for candidates and the impartiality of the commission’s members.

“We are asking for the court to interpret some provisions of the constitution and KANSIEC guidelines. We want the court to determine whether KANSIEC is impartial, given the composition of the commission, and to rule on the legality of the N9 million and N4 million fees required from chairmanship and councillorship candidates,” said Abdulaziz.

Defendants in the case include the Kano State Attorney-General, KANSIEC Chairman Sani Lawan, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and INEC.

The court, presided by Justice Simon Amobeda, has adjourned the matter to October 11, giving all parties time to file their responses.

In a related matter, Kano State government’s legal counsel, Rilwanu Umar (SAN), and Kano State House of Assembly’s counsel, Bashir Yusuf, have filed preliminary objections challenging the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.

They argue that only the state high court and state assembly have the authority to handle matters concerning KANSIEC.

Justice Amobeda has set October 11 for further hearings and ordered the plaintiffs to serve the defendants with the necessary court documents.

This legal battle adds to ongoing controversies over the upcoming local government elections in Kano State.