RismadarVoice Reporters
October 31, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has retained the exclusion of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, from its updated list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The revised list, published on Saturday, October 31, shows that both positions remain vacant under the NDC, with the commission recording a court order as the reason affecting their inclusion.
The development comes despite earlier assurances by NDC officials that the omission resulted from an administrative error that would be corrected.
According to the updated document, INEC retained several other political parties and their candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship election.
Those listed include incumbent Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his running mate, Murtala Sule Garo, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Others include Abacha Muhammed Sani and Kibiya Yusuf Ado of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as Ibrahim Ali Amin and Shehu Abdulkadir Bari of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Candidates representing the Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Peoples Redemption Party and other political parties also appeared on the updated list.
The controversy began after INEC published its initial final list on October 10, excluding the NDC candidates and prompting objections from party supporters.
At the time, the party’s Kano spokesperson, Yusuf Fasaha, maintained that the omission resulted from a computer error, while Dr Yusuf Ibrahim Kofarmata also insisted that the candidates’ details had been properly submitted.
The NDC subsequently petitioned INEC, demanding the reinstatement of Gwarzo and Kwankwaso and questioning the handling of its nomination documents.
However, the latest official list indicates that the matter remains affected by a court order rather than merely an unresolved data-entry problem.
INEC had previously explained that disputes over candidate nominations involved compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, including requirements governing political party membership registers.
The commission disclosed that it considered 69 petitions concerning governorship nominations across 26 states, accepting 41 and rejecting 28.
The continued exclusion leaves uncertainty over the NDC’s representation in the Kano governorship contest, pending further judicial developments or an applicable decision by the electoral commission.
