The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) has moved the upcoming local government elections to an earlier date to meet the Supreme Court’s October deadline.
Originally scheduled for November 30, the chairmanship and councillorship elections will now take place on October 26, according to KANSIEC.
Prof. Sani Malumfashi, KANSIEC Chairman, announced the change during a press briefing in Kano on Friday.
He stated, “In recognition and conformity with the recent Supreme Court decision and the mutual agreement between the states and the Federal Government upon the expiration of the October deadline, the Commission is justifiably impelled to reschedule the already scheduled Local Government Election to 26th October, 2024, as against 30th November, 2024.”
Earlier, the commission had set nomination fees for the upcoming elections at N10 million for the chairmanship position and N5 million for the councillorship slots.
These fees have sparked significant controversy, particularly among opposition members, with many aspirants labeling the charges as “prohibitive.”
However, Prof. Malumfashi dismissed these concerns, insisting that the fees would remain unchanged.
He explained that the commission determined the fees after considering the country’s inflationary pressures, which have led to increased prices of goods and services.
Prof. Malumfashi also noted that other states in the North have set similar fees for their local government elections, arguing that KANSIEC’s decision is in line with these precedents.
