A Federal High Court in Kano State has said he didn’t declare Abia State Governor-elect Dr Alex Otti’s nomination null and void.
However, the court ruled that the election of Kano Labour Party candidates in the 2023 elections was invalid.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, a plaintiff, Mr Ibrahim Haruna-Ibrahim, filed a motion with the court seeking it to annul and set aside the certificate of return granted to all LP candidates proclaimed winners in Kano and the other 35 states, including the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.
According to NAN, the respondents in the lawsuit are the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Justice Muhammad Nasir-Yunusa, said the candidates who participated in the 2023 general election in Abia were not parties before his court.
“This court lacks jurisdiction to make an order for the issuance of a certificate of return. They are at liberty to seek redress in the appropriate Division of the court,” he added.
He said INEC was bound to insist on receiving the registered members of the first respondent and that of other political parties 30 days before the primary election in compliance with section 77(3) of the electoral act 2022.
The section states that a party that has not complied with section 77(2)(3) of the electoral act 2022 cannot be declared winner of the election.
“The court declared the primary election of LP in Kano as null and void,” Nasir-Yunusa said.
