A federal high court sitting in Kano has rejected the application by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop the State Independent Electoral Commission from conducting local government polls scheduled for October 26.
In a motion exparte filed on September 20 before Justice Simon Amobeda, APC, and one Hon. Aminu Aliyu Tiga against the state electoral commission, Kano State House of Assembly, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice and 11 other defendants, the plaintiffs urged the court to grant an interim injunction to restrain the conduct of the council election across the 44 local government councils.
The plaintiffs also sought the leave of the court for an interim injunction directing all parties to maintain the status quo and for the electoral body particularly to stay further actions regarding the preparation for the conduct of the poll in Kano, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
APC had further asked the court to grant leave to the bailiff of the court to service KANSIEC and State Assembly and two other defendants with all the processes in the suit through any staff or officer at the office of the Attorney General of the state.
But Justice Amobeda declined to grant an interim injunction that would stop KANSIEC from perfecting arrangements for the processes of the conduct of the forthcoming council election.
The court, however, granted APC the application to put KANSIEC and other defendants on notice of all processes.
The Presiding Judge adjourned the hearing to October 4, with a commitment to accelerate the hearing on the matter, accompanied by stern caution to parties against any act that will prejudice the hearing and quick determination of the matter.
“That prayers 1 and 2 are refused in the interim to the extent that the defendants shall be put on notice to show the cause why these prayers shall not be granted.
“That prayer 3 is granted. And that the time of hearing of the substantive
Application is abridged to 5 days from the date of service of the originating process and order of this court on the defendants,” the court ruled.
Before APC failed to stop the conduct of the council election, Justice Ado Maaji of the state high court had granted an interim injunction restraining APC, PDP, NNPP, and 16 other recognised political parties from taking any action that will tamper with the statutory responsibility of KANSIEC on the conduct of the local government council election.