A coalition of civil society groups, Citizens for Development and Education (CDE) and the Organization for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN), has raised strong concerns about the judiciary’s role in stopping local government elections in Kano State.
At a press conference held on Thursday in Kano, both organizations criticized judicial actions that, in their view, are undermining democracy and governance in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the organizations, Comrade Ibrahim A. Waiya, Executive Director of CDE, voiced frustration over the judiciary’s role in obstructing elections mandated by the Supreme Court.
“The judiciary is meant to protect citizens’ rights and support democracy, but instead, we are seeing it being used to block elections and stifle development in Kano State,” said Waiya.
He noted that certain individuals within the judiciary are leveraging legal technicalities to prevent the local government elections from proceeding.
Waiya highlighted the confusion caused by conflicting court rulings, emphasizing that the ongoing legal battles have not only delayed the election process but also risk wasting the significant resources already allocated by the Kano State government to organize these elections.
Both CDE and OCCEN urged a prompt resolution to the legal disputes, calling on judges to prioritize the welfare of Kano’s more than 20 million residents.
Waiya underscored that civil society organizations would hold accountable those responsible for any further disruptions. “We will not sit idle and allow the peace and progress of Kano to be jeopardized for personal or political gain,” he stated.
The organizations also called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning that the volatile situation in Kano could have broader consequences for national peace and security.
They appealed to the judiciary to respect the will of Kano’s citizens, whose aspirations for peace and democratic development are being threatened by political interference.
