By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Tension is mounting in Kano State as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted the governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from its final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
The omission has raised questions about the party’s participation in the election, prompting the NDC state chapter to appeal to its supporters to remain calm while efforts are being made to resolve the situation.
The final list, signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains 17 governorship candidates and their running mates from various political parties but does not include Gwarzo or any candidate representing the NDC.
However, the NDC has attributed the development to a technical glitch, insisting that its candidate completed the nomination process within the stipulated timeframe.
The party’s Public Relations Officer, Yusif Fasaha, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Kano following the publication of the list on Saturday.
Fasaha said the party had contacted INEC over the omission and was assured that the issue resulted from a computer-related problem that would be corrected.
“I want to assure you that, as the PRO of the party, the problem is not from us. We have consulted INEC, and they told us that the problem was from the computer and that they would rectify it,” he said.
He added that the party expected a revised list containing Gwarzo’s name to be released by Monday.
“So, everybody should remain calm. Between now and Monday, another list containing his name will be released,” Fasaha stated.
The NDC spokesman maintained that Gwarzo had fulfilled all statutory requirements and completed the necessary nomination procedures within the timeframe prescribed by the electoral commission.
He also said the party’s leadership was engaging the relevant authorities to ensure that the omission was addressed.
INEC, however, had not publicly confirmed the alleged technical glitch or announced any correction to the list as of the time of filing this report.
The commission’s published document provides details of the candidates, including their names, political affiliations, ages, genders and educational qualifications, as well as those of their deputy governorship candidates.
Among those listed are Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mohammed Abacha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ibrahim Ali Amin Little of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Candidates from the Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and New Democratic Party (NDP), among others, also feature on the list.
INEC did not provide an explanation for the NDC’s absence in the published document.
While the party insists that the omission was caused by a technical problem, the commission’s silence leaves the circumstances surrounding Gwarzo’s exclusion unconfirmed.
The development has therefore placed attention on whether the electoral umpire will issue a revised list ahead of the 2027 Kano governorship election.