The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) will conduct drug tests on chairmanship and councillorship candidates of all political parties contesting the upcoming local government elections.
The Executive Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Sani Lawal Malumfashi, stated this during an official visit to the headquarters of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano on Tuesday.
Prof. Malumfashi emphasized that the Commission is set to test candidates running for chairman and councillorship positions for drug use.
While seeking the support and cooperation of the NDLEA in conducting the drug tests, he requested that the agency submit the results to the commission to determine the eligibility of candidates based on the outcome of the tests.
He maintained that the current electoral commission in the state is committed to ensuring that individuals who abuse drugs do not gain executive power in local government, given its proximity to the grassroots.
Malumfashi added that drug users in local government leadership would worsen the drug abuse situation in the state and could even bankrupt the local government by promoting and increasing drug abuse and related offenses.
The Chairman also sought the agency’s support in ensuring security during and after the elections, noting that the NDLEA is an integral part of the election process.
In his response, the State Commander of the NDLEA, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, assured the commission’s chairman that his command is ready to provide all necessary support and cooperation to conduct a hitch-free election in the state.
In a statement signed by the Director of Public Enlightenment of the Commission, Bashir Habib Yahaya, it was noted that the event included the presentation of election guidelines and the calendar to the Commander by the Chairman of the commission, while the NDLEA Commander honored Prof. Sani Lawal Malumfashi on behalf of his command.
