By Muhammad Nur Tijani
The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria said the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) complied with electoral guidelines.
Presenting a report, the convener of the Network, Mr Victor Kalu who spoke on behalf of the CSOs and CBO’s, said that the turn out was impressive and also the conduct of the election was in compliance with electoral guidelines.
He commended the state government and KANSIEC under the leadership of Prof. Sani Malumfashi for a successful and well-organised election.
Receiving the report, Malumfashi, appreciated the CSOs and urged them to continue their work to sustain democracy in Nigeria.
”Your presence added so much value to the just concluded local government elections.
“We are not unaware of the fact that you contributed towards the success of the election.
“Please continue the struggle of entrenching democracy in Nigeria, one day it will be better for us in this country
“You prevented strongly an attempt to truncate our activities by preventing the constitutional mandate,” he explained.
NAN reports that the KANSIEC announced that, the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP has won the 44 local governments in the councils elections conducted on Saturday.
Malumfashi made the declaration in Kano at the end of the collation exercise.
He said, the state electoral body has exercised and observed its Constitutional mandates of planning, organizing, coordinating, observing and conducting Local Government Election in Kano State of Nigeria.
Malumfashi explained that, “Six Political Parties participated: AA, AAC, ACCORD, ADC, APM, and NNPP.”
“NNPP won all 44 Local Government Chairmanship and 484 Councillorship Positions contested.”
Malumfashi said, the exercise had been largely peaceful and successful in all ramifications.
”The commission therefore deeply appreciates the roles played by the critical stakeholders, notably Security Agencies, Media organisations, Leaders of Political Parties, Civil Society organizations, Religious Leaders, Community Leaders, Youth and Women organizations, towards the actualization of grass root. Democracy in the State.”
He thanked the people of Kano for participating.
“The commission is also profouncily grateful to the good people of Kano State for their collective support, prayers and expression of positive emotions.
“The peaceful conduct of the exercise is a doubtless manifestation of public acceptability of the exercise in terms of credibility, fairness and decency.” Malumfashi added.
NAN also reports that a Federal High Court sitting in Kano on Oct. 22 sacked the Malumfashi as KANSIEC chairman for being a card-carrying member of the Ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The case was filed by Aminu Tiga and the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The defendants in the suit are the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, and 14 others.
Delivering judgment, Justice S.A Amobede, also held that Kabir Zakirai, the Secretary of the commission was not a civil servant and therefore not an officer in the Kano State Civil Service.
The judge held that Zakirai was not qualified to be appointed to the position under section 14 of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission Law 2001.
But in a counter judgment, a Kano state high court ordered the KANSIEC to proceed with the conduct of local government elections scheduled for Saturday.
The presiding judge, Justice Sanusi Ma’aji gave the order on Friday in a matter filed by the state independent electoral commission against APC and 13 others.
According to Justice Ma’aji, KANSIEC is empowered by the provision of the Constitution to conduct, supervise and hold local government elections across the 44 council areas.
Justice Maaji affirmed that his Judgement and that of the Federal High Court Presided over Justice Simon Amobede, has concurrent jurisdiction as well his own is the latest and which has full jurisdiction over the matter at hands.
He maintained that any attempt to truncate the process of the conduct of the poll amounts to nullity.
Justice Ma’aji also ordered the security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, provide protection of lives and property during the conduct of the election. (NAN)
