Fresh facts have emerged on why a Federal High Court has sacked all 44 chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) ahead of Saturday’s local government election in Kano State.
Justice Simon Amobede issued the ruling while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a faction of the party led by Dalhatu Shehu Usman. The judge ordered the faction to submit its list of candidates to the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) for clearance.
The defendants in the case included the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), the Inspector General of Police, and the Director of the Department of Security Services (DSS).
Upon reviewing the originating summons dated October 8, 2024, Justice Amobede restrained INEC from releasing the voters’ register to KANSIEC.
The court also directed the acceptance of the list submitted by the plaintiffs.
“The 1st defendant (INEC) is hereby restrained from releasing the voters’ register to the 2nd defendant (KANSIEC) for the conduct of the proposed election on October 26, 2024,” the judge ruled.
“The 2nd defendant (KANSIEC) is directed to accept as genuine and valid the list of NNPP candidates submitted by the recognized State Chairman of the party, Dalhatu Shehu Usman, in accordance with the party’s Constitution, and to reject any list of candidates submitted by anyone else for the 2024 Local Government Election in Kano State.”
The judge further stated, “The 3rd and 4th defendants (Police and DSS) are hereby restrained from providing security and protection at the election scheduled for October 26, 2024.”