Mathew Amaechi
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified two Federal High Court rulings that had cast uncertainty over the October 2024 local government elections in Kano State, reaffirming the authority of state institutions in electoral matters.
In a unanimous decision on Friday, a three-member panel of justices led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill ruled that the Federal High Court in Kano overstepped its jurisdiction when it voided the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the subsequent local government elections conducted under its watch.
“The Federal High Court lacks the constitutional authority to entertain matters concerning state electoral commissions and their officials,” the court held, asserting that such cases should be decided by state high courts.
The appellate court sided with the appellants—the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly, and KASIEC—who challenged the earlier ruling that jeopardized the legitimacy of the October 26 elections.
The Court of Appeal also weighed in on a separate but related matter involving internal disputes within the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). The Federal High Court had previously refused to recognize a list of candidates submitted by one faction of the party for the local polls. That ruling, too, was struck down.
According to the appellate court, disputes over party leadership and candidate nominations fall outside the scope of the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction and should not be resolved through judicial intervention.
“Courts cannot settle intra-party disagreements over leadership or candidate selection. These are political questions, not legal ones,” the panel stated.
The dual rulings are a significant win for Kano State authorities and signal a clear delineation between federal and state judicial powers, particularly in electoral affairs. Legal analysts say the decisions may set a precedent for future jurisdictional disputes involving state-level elections.
