Hundreds of supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement on Friday protested at the Kano State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the exclusion of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate from the final list for the 2027 election.
The protesters, led by the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, submitted a formal petition demanding the reinstatement of Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
The protest, held on October 16, 2026, followed the publication of INEC’s final list for Kano which contains 17 governorship tickets but omitted the NDC candidate and his running mate.
Kwankwaso said the party had fulfilled all nomination requirements, describing the omission as unjust. The movement’s spokesperson, Dr. Habibu Mohammed, alleged that an INEC staff member colluded with unauthorised individuals to conceal a decision that led to substitution of some candidates, using letters bearing suspected forged signatures.
He said the group wants INEC to investigate the officer and establish how the disputed documents entered the system.
Receiving the petition, the Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, acknowledged the complaint and assured that it would be forwarded to INEC national headquarters for consideration.
“Basically, what they came to do is to present a complaint about the omission of their candidates. 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 commended the protesters for presenting their grievances peacefully and urged all political groups to use established channels.
The NDC Kano omission is among several disputes INEC said it is addressing after its October 10 final list. The commission had given affected parties until October 24, 2026, to notify it in writing with an affidavit where a duly nominated candidate was omitted, in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.
