The Chairman of Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, Prof Sani Lawan Malunfashi, on Friday, said the main opposition APC is now out of the conduct following the approval for the conduct of local government elections on Saturday.
He said, “With the judgment of the State High Court, all arrangements for the conduct of the elections have been concluded, but the main opposition party in the state, the All Progressive Congress, APC, has since pulled out of the race as they boycotted all electoral processes and guidelines set out by the commission.
According to him, six political parties are participating in the election including NNPP, ZLP, Accord Party, NRPM, AAC and AA.
The KANSIEC chairman insisted that the Commission is carrying out its activities under the ambits of the law, saying, “Every activity of the Commission is procedural. We are not partisan.”
He further urged KANSIEC staff and ad-hoc staff to resist any temptation of bribery and ensure that underage children are not allowed to vote.
Prof. Malunfashi also reminded politicians that vote-buying, thuggery and other forms of violence contravene the state electoral guidelines, maintaining that the expectations of all democrats and lovers of democracy are that Friday’s Kano High Court judgement that gave a nod for the election to hold be respected.
Our Correspondent reports that earlier on Friday, Kano State High Court Number 15 affirmed the Jurisdiction of KANSIEC to conduct Kano State Local government polls, slated for Saturday.
In his judgment, Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji averred that the Applicant (KANSIEC) had proven their case.
Our Correspondent reports that KANSIEC had approached the court seeking a perpetual restraint on the defendants, the APC from obstructing the local government election process.
He ruled that the Commission was established by the law that gives her statutory mandate to conduct elections.
The Court also ordered the Police to provide security during the exercise.