A Federal High Court in Kano has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which sought to stop federal allocations to the 44 local government councils in Kano State.
The court ruled on Monday that the suit had no merit and was dismissed outright, ending the APC’s months-long legal attempt to challenge the legitimacy of the local councils, which are controlled by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The APC had claimed the NNPP-led chairmen were not properly elected and urged the court to halt the flow of federal funds to the councils. The suit was filed in November 2024, with APC’s Kano State chairman, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, as the lead plaintiff.
The case listed several top national institutions as co-respondents, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), and the offices of the Accountant-General and Auditor-General of the Federation.
The APC argued that the NNPP officials violated Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution by not being “democratically elected.” But Justice Simon Amobeda ruled that the case lacked legal weight and could not continue.
Although APC’s lawyer, Mr. Sunday Olowomoran, had earlier attempted to withdraw the suit following an appellate court ruling that said the case should be handled by the Kano State High Court, other parties rejected that move.
Lawyers representing the federal agencies, the Kano State Government, the local governments, and KANSIEC all demanded heavy costs for the resources and time spent. Requests ranged from ₦1 million to ₦44 million in costs, citing damages, legal expenses, and operational disruptions.
Justice Amobeda ultimately dismissed the case, stating that under the court’s rules, a withdrawal request must be filed within 14 days of service—something the APC failed to do.
This ruling clears the way for continued federal allocations to Kano’s 44 local councils and is seen as a win for the NNPP-led state government.
