The court also nullified the overturn of the local government election held on October 26, 2024.

A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, has set aside the decision of the Federal High Court, which nullified the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC).

The court also nullified the overturn of the local government election held on October 26, 2024.

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal noted that the Federal High Court did not have the power to hear cases concerning state electoral bodies and their members, The PUNCH reports.

The court accepted appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly, and KANSIEC.

It further stated that the matter should have been heard by the Kano State High Court.

Consequently, the Court of Appeal dismissed the cases filed at the Federal High Court for lack of jurisdiction.

Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court had, on October 22, 2024, restrained KANSIEC from conducting elections in the 44 local government areas of Kano State.

He later directed INEC not to release the national voters’ register for use in the local government elections in the state.

Furthermore, he barred the police, the Department of State Services, and other security agencies from providing support or protection for the polls.

In his ruling, Justice Amobeda noted that the electoral commission’s members were card-carrying members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party, which he described as a breach of Sections 197 and 200 of the 1999 Constitution.

Not pleased with the ruling, the Kano State House of Assembly and others affected by the judgment approached the Court of Appeal.

They argued that local government election matters fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and can only be adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction in Kano State.

They further maintained that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.