Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo and his deputy, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, representing the Nigeria Democratic Congress in the Kano State gubernatorial contest, remain omitted from the updated final candidate roster issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Published on Saturday, the revised document preserves the exclusion of the NDC flagbearers, maintaining uncertainty for the party's campaign ahead of the upcoming polls.
Despite the continued absence of the NDC ticket, the electoral body incorporated contenders from multiple alternative platforms. Among the recognized parties on the updated register are the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Labour Party (LP), the Action Alliance (AA), the African Action Congress (AAC), the Action Democratic Party (ADP), the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), amongst others.
Prominent figures featured on the current schedule include Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf alongside Murtala Sule Garo for the APC, Abacha Muhammad Sani paired with Kibiya Yusuf Ado for the PDP, and Ibrahim Ali Amin alongside Shehu Abdulkadir Bari representing the ADC.
What led to the initial exclusion?
When the electoral body issued its initial roster, the exclusion of the NDC standard-bearer and his running mate sparked immediate concern among party stakeholders. Representatives of the political formation subsequently attributed the omission to administrative oversights during the data submission phase, maintaining that assurances had been given regarding a prompt rectification.
Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofarmata, who functions as the Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya Caucus and contested as the NDC House of Representatives candidate for Kano during the period, issued an explanatory statement. He stated that party leadership had received formal indications that the missing names stemmed strictly from technical entry mistakes rather than disqualification.
What happens next for the affected party?
As political parties ramp up their campaigns across Kano State, the continued absence of the NDC nominees on the official INEC document poses significant legal and logistical hurdles. Electoral guidelines require all participating entities to be duly recognized on statutory schedules to ensure unhindered participation in scheduled ballots. Party officials are expected to pursue further administrative or legal channels to address the persistent exclusion before the election timeline advances further.