The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday overturned a ruling by the Federal High Court in Kano that had nullified the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the local government election conducted on October 26, 2024.
Presiding over the appeal, a three-judge panel led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill stated that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over cases concerning state electoral bodies and their members.
“These matters should be handled by the Kano State High Court,” the court ruled.
The Court of Appeal upheld appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly, and KASIEC itself, thereby dismissing the Federal High Court cases for lack of authority.
In a related decision, the Court of Appeal also reversed a Federal High Court judgment which had rejected the candidate list submitted to KASIEC by one faction of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the recent local government elections.
The Court emphasized, “The case, which involved a fight over NNPP leadership and candidate lists from two groups, was not within the Federal High Court’s power to decide.”
It further added that “party leadership and candidate choices cannot be settled in court.”
