The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission has announced that all candidates contesting the local government election in Kano State must undergo a psychiatric test before participating in the October 26 polls.

The KANSIEC chairman, Sani Malumfashi, made the disclosure while addressing a news conference in Kano on Friday.

?As you know we have conducted drug tests for the aspirants contesting for chairmanship and councilorship. So, we shall invite psychiatric doctors to conduct psychiatric tests on all the candidates,? Prof. Malumfashi said.

He said following the recent court order which restrained the commission from charging N10 million and N5 million for chairmanship and councilorship, the commission had now reduced the fees to N9 million and N4 million respectively.

?If you recall, three political parties went and obtained a court order restraining the commission from charging N10 million and N5 million. So, we are going to comply with the order by charging N9 million and N4 million respectively.

?We know some states like Bayelsa and Ebonyi that collected N20 million

?So, candidates should go to banks from tomorrow to purchase the nomination forms as the primary election ends tomorrow (Saturday) and parties are expected to submit names of their candidates to the commission,? he said.

The KANSIEC chairman, however, commended other political parties especially the All Progressives Congress for their decision to participate in the election.

?We are glad that the All Progressives Congress believes in us. They realise we are not here to joke,? Prof. Malumfashi said. (The PUNCH)

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