Don’t proceed with LG polls, Kano APC cautions Gov Yusuf

Amidst conflicting judgement by Courts of coordinate jurisdiction on the conduct of local government elections in Kano State, the State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has cautioned
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to not proceed with the electoral process.

The chairman of the Kano chapter of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, gave the words of caution in a statement issued on Friday.

On Tuesday, a Federal High Court in Kano presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda while ruling in a matter filed by Aminu Aliyu Tiga, and the APC disqualified Prof. Sani Malumfashi as the chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission.

The Court held that the chairman was a political party card-carrying member. It equally sacked five members of the commission for their ties with the New Nigerian People’s Party.

A Kano State High Court on Friday, however, granted the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) the authority to proceed with the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, nullifying all attempts by political parties to stop the exercise.

The presiding judge, Justice Sanusi Ma’aji, ruled that KANSIEC is empowered by the Constitution to conduct, supervise, and oversee local government elections across the 44 local government areas (LGAs) in Kano State.

In the fresh case brought by KANSIEC against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 13 other political parties, Justice Ma’aji maintained that any effort to obstruct the process would be deemed null and void.

The APC Chairman, Kano State Chapter, in his statement, however, called on the state government to adhere to the directive of the Federal High Court in Kano, which had earlier on Tuesday restrained KANSIEC from holding the council poll after sacking the chairman, secretary, and commissioners of the agency.

The party noted that the call by the governor on NNPP supporters to ignore the court directive was a clear case of an invitation to anarchy and lawlessness.

“The governor should simply respect the laws. As law-abiding citizens interested in the growth of our dear state of Kano, the governor should desist from any act that could throw the state into chaos.

“Inciting people to take the laws into their own hands is not the hallmark of good leadership,” the party noted.

The APC further expressed concern over remarks attributed to Governor Yusuf at a rally in Kano City where he openly declared that he would proceed with the LG election.

The APC claimed that the remarks were inciting and unbecoming of someone who is supposed to be the chief security officer of the state.

ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• Nigeria, 12 others join BRICS as partner countries

• UK donates advanced counter-IED equipment to Nigerian military

• Reps uncover over N32.152bn revenue leakage

• LG autonomy: No moratorium for govs on implementation of Supreme Court judgement — FG

• Dangote Refinery asks Court to void import licenses of NNPCL, Matrix, four others

• No vacuum in governance with Tinubu, Shettima outside Nigeria — Presidency