KANSIEC issues certificates of return to newly elected Chairmen

The Kano Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) has issued a certificate of return to the newly elected 44 Local Government Chairmen.

The Chairman of the commission, Professor Sani Lawal Malumfashi, issued the certificates on Sunday morning.

Daily Trust reports that the Commission declared that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) winner of all the 44 chairmanship positions and 484 Councillorship seats in Saturday’s election.

Speaking while issuing the certificates, Malumfashi said, “By requirements of the electoral processes, the commission is yet saddled with the responsibilities of issuing certificate of return to the elected Chairmen and Councillors as legitimate leaders of their own local government areas. The Commission has the mandate to do that.

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“They are now charged with the responsibilities of attending to their official needs of their respective LGAs.”

Daily Trust understands that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf would soon swear in the chairmen at Government House, Kano.

While addressing newsmen at the commission’s  headquarters, on Saturday, Malumfashi had said the election was smooth and orderly across all the  44 Local Government Areas.

According to Malumfashi, the commission provided all necessary materials needed for a seamless electoral process.

KANSIEC had  originally scheduled the elections  for November 30, but was  rescheduled for  Oct. 26 following a Supreme Court ruling affirming local government autonomy.

Malumfashi said  peaceful election was a welcome development, especially given the importance of local government autonomy.

The chairman said all efforts put in by the commission  to ensure a smooth election had  paid off, especially  without any major incident across the state.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano has described Saturday’s election as illegal.

A chieftain of the party, Rabi’u  Bichi, made the remark in an interview with NAN.

“The  party’s stance is informed by a court order by  Justice Simon Amobede of the Federal High Court, Kano, which still stands, and which has rendered the election null and void.”

“The judge ruled that the leadership of KANSIEC was partisan and biased towards the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the state.

“Since the judgment has not been appealed, the APC considers  any outcome of the election illegal,” he said.

The APC chieftain also pointed to a recent Federal High Court judgment that quashed all NNPP chairmanship candidates for the elections, which he said had further reinforced the party’s claims that the election is illegal.

He, however, urged all members of the party to exercise restraint and await the final outcome of the legal moves being made by the party to challenge the conduct of the polls.