By Samuel Adeola
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside a judgment by the Federal High Court in Kano that nullified the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC), and the local government elections conducted on October 26, 2024.
In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain matters relating to state electoral commissions and their officials.
The justices affirmed that only the Kano State High Court has the constitutional authority to hear such cases.
The Appeal Court upheld the appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly, and KASIEC, declaring the earlier judgment by the lower court as invalid and without legal standing.
In a related verdict, the appellate court also reversed another judgment by the same Federal High Court, which had rejected the list of candidates submitted by the Musa Kwankwaso-led faction of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), to KASIEC for the local council polls.
The court ruled that disputes over party leadership and candidate nomination fall outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, emphasizing that such internal party matters are not justiciable and cannot be determined by the court.
With these rulings, the Appeal Court has effectively cleared the path for the legitimacy of the October 2024 local government elections in Kano State.
