Why court in Kano lacks jurisdiction to sack Alex Otti as Abia’s governor-elect – by Inihebe Effiong

Based on this Judgment Order, this case was filed on the 11th day of May, 2023. Alex Otti emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of LP during primaries held in June 2022. Section 285 of the Constitution states that all pre-election matters must be filed within 14 days of event. A case relating to election is either a pre-election matter or a post-election matter (election petition).

If the case filed by Ibrahim Haruna Ibrahim at the Federal High Court in Kano was/is a pre-election matter, it should have been filed within 14 days of the primaries. How can a court assume jurisdiction in a matter that is indisputably statute-barred? This is shocking.

Also, no candidate was joined as a party in this suit. I have noted that Abia is specifically mentioned in the judgment. A court in Kano cannot nullify primaries outside Kano. The jurisdiction of the Federal High Court cannot be invoked this way.

Nullifying primaries of candidates, and even declaring votes scored as wasted votes in this circumstance, goes against all established principles of law and fair hearing. The court lacked jurisdiction.