Kano NDC Appeals to INEC Over Exclusion of Governorship Candidate, Threatens Court Action

The Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially lodged an appeal with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following the exclusion of its governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from the roster of gubernatorial candidates for the upcoming 2027 election in the state.

This development was confirmed by the state chairman of the party, Husseini Mairiga, in an interview conducted on Wednesday.

The appeal falls within the 14-day window provided by INEC for political parties to report any complaints regarding candidate exclusions, a period that is set to conclude on October 24.

Mairiga disclosed that the NDC has formally submitted its grievance via its national leadership, and the party is now awaiting a response from the electoral body.

He elaborated that the national chairman had issued specific directives to all affected state chairmen, instructing them to channel their complaints through the National Organising Secretary, who would then transmit them to INEC.

"We have already done this. We are just waiting for INEC to respond," Mairiga stated, indicating the party's adherence to the prescribed process.

According to the NDC chairman, INEC's rationale for Gwarzo's exclusion stemmed from concerns surrounding his party membership registration.

However, Mairiga vehemently insisted that Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo is, in fact, a duly registered and legitimate member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

He provided precise details of the candidate's registration, noting that Gwarzo registered with the party on May 5, 2026, at the Gwarzo Ward, Kofar Fada polling unit, Gwarzo II, and holds the membership number NDC 2026-KAN-457597.

Expressing strong confidence in their position, Mairiga affirmed his belief that a thorough review of the party’s official membership register would unequivocally confirm the candidate’s eligibility to participate in the election.

He further articulated the party's expectation that INEC would meticulously verify these membership records before rendering any final verdict on Gwarzo's candidacy status. The chairman called upon all party members in Kano State to maintain calm and composure during this period of anticipation, as the outcome of the appeal is awaited.

He issued a stern warning, declaring that the NDC is prepared to pursue legal redress through the courts should INEC fail to reinstate their candidate on the official final list.

"We know that we did everything in order. If anything happens and they deny our candidate, we are going to court," he emphasized.

INEC's broader decision to exclude several governorship candidates across different parties was a direct consequence of a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026.

This pivotal ruling upheld the mandatory requirement for political parties to submit their comprehensive membership registers as an essential prerequisite for conducting valid party primaries.

Consequently, INEC stipulated that any political party that failed to adhere to this crucial requirement would be deemed ineligible to sponsor candidates in the 2027 elections.

The electoral commission had subsequently set the deadline of October 24 for affected political parties to officially register any complaints regarding these exclusions.