The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns regarding the omission of its governorship ticket from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates.
The party alleges that undue pressure from the Federal Government may have influenced this exclusion.
The final candidate list, published on INEC’s website, includes nominees from 17 political parties in Kano but notably omits the NDC’s candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, a former deputy governor, along with his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso.
This ticket was reportedly backed by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate.
NDC National Chairman Moses Cleopas emphasized that the party has fulfilled all necessary requirements for candidacy and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of explanation for the omission.
He stated that the party is prepared to take all necessary actions to rectify the situation, cautioning INEC against being perceived as complicit in any unlawful activities.
Kano APC spokesman Auwalu Soja responded to the situation, stating that the ruling party is not surprised by the development.
He referenced previous concerns voiced by an NDC Northwest official regarding discrepancies in Gwarzo’s date of birth as listed on his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, which may have contributed to the exclusion.
As of now, INEC has not provided an explanation for the missing ticket, leaving the NDC’s next steps uncertain, including the possibility of legal recourse.
The outcome of this issue may significantly impact the credibility of the NDC’s campaign in Kano, a pivotal state for the party given its connection to the vice-presidential candidate.
