Kano State Government says it has in consultation with security agencies, placed restriction of movement of persons and vehicles across the state from 12:00 midnight on Friday to 6:00 pm on Saturday.
A statement signed by Baba Halliku Dantiye, Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs said the restriction was aimed at ensuring peaceful and orderly conduct of the Local Government elections which will be held in all 484 wards across the 44 LGAs of the state.
Persons on official election duties and those engaged in essential services are however exempted from the restriction, the statement said.
“All eligible voters are advised to come out to exercise their civic rights by participating peacefully in the electoral process to strengthen democracy in the state,” the commissioner said.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and peaceful election and therefore urges all citizens to comply with the movement restriction in the interest of public safety and electoral
integrity.
Court upholds Kano electoral commission’s powers to conduct LG poll
Meanwhile the High Court of Kano State has upheld the powers of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct local government elections.
Delivering judgement in a case, a judge of the court said, “That by the virtue of Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the 2 schedule and part IIB paragraph 3 and 4 of the 3d schedules of the Constitution of the FederalRepublc of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) the Plaintiff/Applicant has the power to organize, conduct, requlate and supervise Local Government Election in Kano State.
“That the provisions of Section 84 (14) and Section 150 of the Electoral Act 2022, the Defendants/Respondents has no power to stop and or truncate the Plaintiff/Applicant from performing its statutory duties to organize, conduct, regulate and supervise Local Government Election in Kano State.
“That the Plaintiff/Applicant has the Power to organize, conduct, regulate and supervise Local Government Election in Kano State by vitue of the Supreme Court decision in SC/CV/343/2024 between A. G. Federation Vs. A. G. Abia 8 Others reported in L.P.E.LR. 62576 (S.C) in compliance with the said judgment and avert the further Constitution of the Federal Repubic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
“That by Section 3 (1) (2) of the Kano State Local Government Electoral Law 2002 (as amended), the Plaintiff/Applicant has the Power to organize, conduct, regulate and supervise Local Government Election in Kano State within a stipulated period of time.
“That the Plaintiff/Applicant has the Power to issue guidelines and time table for the conduct of the Local Government Election in Kano State.
“Order is hereby granted restraining the Defendants/Respondents from stopping the Plaintiff/Applicant from …organizing, preparing and conducting Local Government Election in Kano State in compliance with all Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered and all extant
Laws and Regulations.”
