Fresh Concern as INEC Again Excludes Kano NDC Governorship Candidates, Running Mate Ahead of 2027

The Kano State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and his deputy, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, are still missing from the latest list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to a report by Vanguard on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the electoral body published an updated final list of candidates but did not include the names of the two NDC flagbearers among those cleared to participate in the Kano governorship race.

Their continued absence has attracted attention, particularly because the NDC had earlier attributed their initial omission to an administrative mistake during the submission and documentation of candidates’ information.

Despite the development, the latest list contains the names of governorship candidates and their running mates from several other political parties seeking to contest in Kano State.

The parties represented include the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), among others.

Some of the prominent names on the published list include the incumbent Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Murtala Sule Garo, who are representing the APC.

The PDP’s governorship ticket features Abacha Muhammad Sani as its candidate, with Kibiya Yusuf Ado as his running mate. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Ali Amin and Shehu Abdulkadir Bari are listed as the ADC’s candidates for the governorship and deputy governorship positions, respectively.

The NDC had earlier raised concerns over the failure of INEC to include Gwarzo and Kwankwaso in its initial publication.

Dr Yusuf Ibrahim Kofarmata, Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya Caucus and the party’s House of Representatives candidate in Kano, previously addressed the situation.

He disclosed that the party had been informed that the omission was not intentional. According to him, the explanation provided was that an error occurred while the candidates’ details were being entered and processed for publication.

The party was reportedly assured that the issue would be corrected following the clarification.

However, the latest INEC list suggests that the names of Gwarzo and his running mate have still not been added to the official record.

The development could trigger further questions within the NDC over the status of its Kano governorship ticket, especially as political parties intensify preparations and activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.