Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) has reduced the fees for local government election forms following a court ruling.

The cost for chairmanship forms has been lowered to N9 million from the previous N10 million, while forms for councillors are now priced at N4 million, reduced from N5 million.

The fee adjustment also applies to running mates of chairmanship candidates.

The change comes after a court determined that the initial prices were excessive.

“The forms are now available in banks. Candidates can go there and purchase the forms.

Chairman of the electoral commission, Professor Sani Lawal Malumfashi explained that, although the commission has the mandate to fix any price, the decision to reduce the price was a show of respect for the court.

“We, as an institution, respect the court, but we feel pained in reducing the price.

“Because we are law-abiding, we have complied with the court’s order,” he said.

Malumfashi also commended the decision of opposition parties to participate in the local government council polls, slated for October 26.

“This is the beauty of democracy. However, they (political parties) must play the game according to the rules. The campaigns should be issue-based, not violent.

Malumfashi also announced that the primary elections began on Saturday, September 14.

Dissatisfied with the KANSIEC’s high cost of forms, the opposition parties went to court, where they obtained an order restraining the commission from imposing the N10 million/N5 million fees.

The court, In reaction, restrained the KANSIEC from charging the N10 million and N5 million for Chairmanship and Councillorship positions.

The commission’s head pledged that the state electoral body will conduct the council polls free, fair, and credible.

Malumfashi called on the political parties to submit names of their nominated candidates to the commission after the primary elections. (The Nation)