A civil society and advocacy group ,Nigerian Democracy Working Group NDWG, has condemned a Federal High Court, Kano, ruling which halted the October 26 Local Council Polls in the State.
The Source reports that Justice Simon Amobade had, while ruling on an application filed by a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress APC, sacked the Chairman and members of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, citing their ineligibility for their various positions as a major reason.
The Court ruled that going by the provisions of extant laws guiding the composition of the Electoral Commission, Chairman Prof Sani Malumfashi and his members were not qualified to be appointed to the electoral body.
Consequently, the Court ordered that the Council Polls be halted, pending when KANSIEC, will be properly constituted.
It had also declared null and void all previous actions taken by the Commission in the preparations for the polls, including the sale of expression of interest, nomination forms, and screening of candidates .
But in a statement jointly issued on Wednesday October 23,2024 by its Conveners Dr Vincent Okpara and Dr Idris Mohammed ,the NDWG ,described the verdict as gross judicial recklessness , a clear attempt to truncate the country’s democracy, and an open threat to the peace and security of Kano State.
The group noted that Tuesday’s judgment represent yet another in the history of the Court’s incessant display of judicial recklessness, and tendencies to foment crisis in the State.
“We condemn this judgment in totality as insensitive, anti-people, anti-democracy, anti-social justice, and emotionally loaded.
“This decision is a clear example of the Court’s incessant judicial recklessness and its tendencies to cause conflicts and disharmony in the State
It is our firm belief that in every civilized democracy which respects the will of the people, Courts wouldn’t have reduced themselves to temples of creating confusion, disharmony, social disunity and disorder ” NDWG stated.
To this end, while urging men and women of good conscience to condemn the verdict, the group, also, called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to wade in, and possibly sanction the trial Judge,Justice Amobade.
It informed that in the days ahead,it will be leading over one thousand other civil society groups to petition the NJC and other Judicial authorities against the perceived unprofessional conduct of the Judge.
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