Kano holds local council elections amid conflicting judgments

The much awaited local council elections in Kano State will be held today amid conflicting legal pronouncements.

The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) on Friday declared its full readiness to proceed with the conduct of the council polls across the 44 local councils of the state.

The exercise is coming amid multiple declarations and conflicting affirmations of the courts, raising confusion in the state.

KANSIEC Chairman, Prof. Sani Lawan Malumfashi, told journalists that both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials have been provided for the conduct of a transparent election.

According to the KANSIEC boss, six out of 19 political parties will participate in the polls. The parties are the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Zenith Labour Party (ALP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party, AP; African Action Congress (AAC) and National Rescue Movement (NRM).

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), among other strong opposition parties, will not participate in the polls.

Malumfashi’s declaration came a few hours after Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji of the State High Court upheld the powers of KANSIEC to conduct the council election.

Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court had restrained the commission from conducting the polls.

While Justice Amobeda declared that the council polls should not hold unless and until the KANSIEC management is properly constituted, Justice Ma’aji held that KANSIEC is empowered by the provisions of the constitution and extant laws to conduct council elections without any restriction.

Although the State Police Command had earlier announced non-participation in the election in obedience to the Federal High Court judgment, it is not certain whether the police will withdraw its earlier statement, in compliance with the judgment of the Kano State High Court.

The Guardian observed massive deployment of vigilantes and local hunters at KANSIEC headquarters after the sudden withdrawal of police and men of the Civil Defense Corps.

Already, the Kano State government has restricted movement beginning from 12 midnight Friday to 6pm Saturday to enable residents exercise their civic responsibility.

A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Halilu Baba Dantiye, said the decision of the government was meant to enable residents to exercise their franchise.