By Anthony Ochela, Abuja
The Court of Appeal has reversed the judgment given by a Federal High Court in Kano voiding the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the local government election it (KASIEC) conducted on October 26, 2024.
In three unanimous judgments on Friday, a three-member panel, presided over by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, held that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on the composition of states’ electoral bodies and the qualification of members of such bodies.
The Court of Appeal allowed the three appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly and KASIEC and struck out the suits filed before the Federal High Court (from which the judgment was derived) for want of jurisdiction.
It said the proper court with the required jurisdiction is the High Court of Kano State.
In its fourth judgment on Friday, the Court of Appeal also reversed another judgment delivered by the same Federal High Court in Kano rejecting the list of candidates submitted to KASIEC by the Musa Kwakwanso faction of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the last local government election in Kano State.
The court held that the subject of case which related to the leadership dispute in NNPP and which list of candidates submitted by two factions of the party was authentic, were outside the jurisdiction of the court.
It added that issues of party leadership and candidates’ nomination were not justiciable.
