The Court of Appeal in Abuja recently overturned two significant rulings by the Federal High Court in Kano, clarifying jurisdictional boundaries concerning state electoral matters and internal party disputes.
On Friday, a three-judge panel led by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill set aside the Federal High Court’s judgment that had nullified the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) and the local government election held on October 26, 2024.
The Appeal Court emphatically stated that the Federal High Court lacks the authority to adjudicate cases involving state electoral bodies and their members, asserting that such matters fall under the exclusive purview of the Kano State High Court. This decision came after the court accepted appeals filed by the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State House of Assembly, and KASIEC itself, ultimately dismissing the original cases at the Federal High Court due to a lack of jurisdiction.
In a related development, the Court of Appeal also reversed another Federal High Court ruling. This earlier judgment had rejected a list of candidates submitted to KASIEC by a faction of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the same local government election.
The Appeal Court determined that this case, which stemmed from a leadership dispute within the NNPP and conflicting candidate lists from two factions, was also beyond the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction. The court further emphasized that issues concerning party leadership and candidate selection are internal party matters that cannot be resolved through court intervention.
