NDC Raises Alarm As INEC Leaves Kwankwaso, Gwarzo Off Final Candidate List

The Kwankwassiyya Movement has announced plans to engage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the omission of Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) deputy governorship candidate in Kano State, from the commission’s final list of candidates.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the movement’s spokesperson, Habibu Mohammed, said the omission came as a surprise, insisting that Kwankwaso had completed the required registration process within the stipulated timeframe.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Mohammed explained that neither the movement nor the candidate was aware of any outstanding issue that could have led to the omission.

He noted that the NDC had already described the development as an error and indicated that it was seeking a correction from the electoral commission.

Mohammed maintained that Kwankwaso, a former deputy governor of Kano State, met the necessary requirements and that there was no known court judgment or order preventing his name from appearing on the list.

He said the movement believed the omission could have resulted from an administrative mistake, although INEC had not, according to him, provided a specific explanation for the development.

The spokesperson also pointed to provisions of the electoral framework that allow candidates to seek redress when their names are omitted from an official list, adding that the movement intended to explore the available legal options.

Mohammed stressed that the Kwankwassiyya Movement was committed to resolving the matter through lawful means and would work with the NDC to engage the electoral commission.

He expressed confidence that the issue could be resolved, arguing that there was no apparent reason for Kwankwaso’s exclusion from the published list.

The development has raised questions about the final candidate list for Kano State, with the NDC seeking clarification and a correction of what it has described as an error.

The outcome will depend on INEC’s response and the relevant procedures available to the party and its candidates under the electoral law.