A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has rejected an application by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop the State Independent Electoral Commission from conducting the local government election.
In a motion ex parte filed on September 20 before Justice Simon Amobeda by the APC and one Hon. Aminu Aliyu Tiga against the state electoral umpire, Kano State House of Assembly, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice and 11 other defendants, the plaintiffs urged the court to grant an interim injunction to restrain the conduct of the council election across the 44 LGAs.
The plaintiffs also sought the leave of the court for an interim injunction directing all parties to maintain status quo and for the electoral body particularly to stay further actions regarding the preparation for the conduct of the poll in Kano, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The APC had further asked the court to grant the leave to the bailiff of the court to service KANSIEC, the state assembly and two other defendants with all the processes in the suit through any staff or officer at the office of Attorney General of the state.
Responding to the APC’s prayers, Justice Amobeda on Wednesday declined to grant an interim injunction seeking to stop KANSIEC from perfecting arrangements for the processes of the conduct of council election already slated for October 26, 2024.
The court however allowed APC to put KANSIEC and other defendants on notice of all processes, and abridged hearing for the substantive application to five days beginning from the date of service of the originating process and Order of the court to the defendants.
The presiding judge adjourned the hearing to October 4, 2024 with commitment to accelerate hearing on the matter, cautioning parties against any act that will prejudice the hearing and quick determination of the matter.
Prior to the Wednesday ruling, Justice Ado Maaji of the state high court had granted an interim injunction, restraining APC, PDP, NNPP and 16 other recognized political parties from taking any action that will tamper with the statutory responsibility of KANSIEC on the conduct of the council poll.