Former Kano State governor and ex-senator, Kabiru Gaya, has lost the Nigeria Democratic Congress senatorial ticket for Kano South despite recently defecting to the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party reportedly adopted Kassim Batayya as its consensus candidate during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Miller Road residence of former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The development comes weeks after Gaya dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress and aligned with the Nigeria Democratic Congress amid growing political realignments in Kano State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Gaya had reportedly positioned himself for a return to the Senate under the NDC platform after resigning from the APC on April 5. He briefly joined the African Democratic Congress before later moving to the NDC alongside Kwankwaso.
Despite expectations that he would secure the Kano South ticket, the party settled for Batayya during its primary process.
The announcement was disclosed by Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, who also shared a video showing Gaya publicly endorsing Batayya as the party’s consensus candidate.
In the clip, Gaya said he accepted the decision in the interest of party unity, despite not being present when it was reached.
“We are all working for the progress of the party. Although I was not present when the decision was taken, I have accepted it in good faith,” he said.
He added, “Politics is about sacrifice and understanding. What is important is the collective interest of the party and the future of Kano South.”
The NDC has already commenced primary congresses for candidates contesting Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly seats ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political observers believe the latest development could significantly reshape the Kano South political landscape, especially as rivalry intensifies among the state’s major political blocs.
Gaya served as governor of Kano State during the Third Republic from 1992 to 1993 and later represented Kano South Senatorial District in the Senate from 2015 to 2023 under the APC.
He lost his re-election bid in 2023 to Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, who contested on the New Nigeria People’s Party platform.
Sumaila has since defected to the APC and is widely believed to have secured the ruling party’s ticket for the 2027 Kano South senatorial election.