Kwankwasiyya Protests in Kano, Petitions INEC Over NDC Governorship Candidate’s Omission
Supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement on Friday protested in Kano State over the omission of the National Democratic Congress governorship candidate, Aminu Gwarzo, from the list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 general elections.
The protesters, led by the NDC deputy governorship candidate, Mustapha Kwankwaso, marched to the INEC state office, where they submitted a formal petition demanding the reinstatement of Gwarzo’s name on the list.
Kwankwaso, who presented the petition on behalf of Gwarzo, said the party had complied with the commission’s guidelines for the nomination of candidates, describing the omission as unjust.
The movement maintained that Gwarzo registered with the NDC within the stipulated period and expressed concern over his exclusion, saying it was unaware of any court case or judicial order cited as the reason for the omission.
Receiving the protesters, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano State, Abdu Zango, said the commission had explained the circumstances surrounding the omission and that an appeal window remained open until October 24.
“Basically, what they came to do is to present a complaint about the omission of their candidates. Luckily, INEC has made the point very clear, the reason for the omission and the fact that there is a window of appeal that has been provided up to the 24th of October,” Zango said.
He assured the delegation that its complaint would be forwarded to the commission’s national headquarters for consideration.
“We received all the complaints and assured the delegation that their petition will receive the necessary attention and we are going to forward it to our national headquarters for consideration. As far as we are concerned in Kano here, we are very neutral,” he added.
Zango also commended the protesters for presenting their grievances peacefully and in an orderly manner, rather than resorting to violence.
The dispute comes amid preparations for the 2027 general elections, with political parties and their candidates seeking to ensure that their names appear on INEC’s official lists.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement also drew attention to Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which it said provides a 14-day window for a political party to notify INEC in writing, accompanied by an affidavit, when the name of its nominated candidate is missing.
It urged the NDC and Gwarzo’s legal representatives to examine the provision and take the necessary steps to seek a correction, where applicable.
Meanwhile, Zango spoke on the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards, which began on October 9, expressing satisfaction with the turnout.
He said collection points would be extended to registration areas to make it easier for eligible voters to obtain their cards.
