The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has set aside the Federal High Court ruling in Kano that invalidated the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the local government elections held on October 26, 2024.

 

A three-member panel led by Justice Biobele Abraham George unanimously ruled that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on matters relating to the composition of state electoral bodies and the qualifications of their members.

 

The case was initially brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Kano Federal High Court, challenging the eligibility of KASIEC chairman, Prof. Sani Malumfashi, and some commissioners, accusing them of being card-carrying members of the rival New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). Justice Simon Amobeda had ruled in favor of APC and ordered a halt to the elections, but the polls proceeded regardless.

 

On Friday, the Court of Appeal allowed three appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly, and KASIEC, and dismissed the suits before the Federal High Court due to lack of jurisdiction. The appellate court clarified that the appropriate court to handle such matters is the Kano State High Court.

 

In a separate but related judgment on the same day, the Court of Appeal also overturned a Federal High Court ruling that had rejected the list of candidates submitted by the Musa Kwankwaso faction of the NNPP for the recent local government elections in Kano. The court stated that disputes over party leadership and candidate nominations are not justiciable in court.