A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) from imposing fees of N5 million and N10 million on candidates participating in the upcoming local government elections.
The court order was granted on Wednesday by Justice Emeka Nwite in response to a suit filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The three political parties had challenged the fees, arguing that they were excessive and discriminatory.
KANSIEC had initially imposed the N5 million fee for chairmanship candidates and N10 million for councillorship candidates as a requirement to contest in the elections.
The decision had sparked criticism from various quarters, with many describing it as a barrier to participation.
Justice Nwite’s ruling now prevents KANSIEC from enforcing these charges, allowing candidates to contest without paying the controversial fees.
The case against KANSIEC continues as the parties await a final judgment.
