Major Shake-Up In Kano PDP As Muhammad Sani Abacha Emerges Governorship Candidate

The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replaced its earlier governorship candidate, Muhammad Bello Dalha, with Muhammad Sani Abacha, son of former military Head of State Sani Abacha, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the change followed Dalha’s withdrawal from the race after consultations with party stakeholders in Kano and Abuja.

The decision was formalised on Wednesday during an expanded meeting of the PDP State Executive Committee in Kano, where the party conducted an affirmation and replacement primary to fill the vacant governorship ticket.

Kano PDP Chairman, Bello Gambo Bichi, explained that Dalha had previously emerged as the party’s candidate after an earlier primary election but subsequently decided to withdraw from the contest following consultations.

Bichi said the withdrawal made it necessary for the party to conduct another primary in accordance with relevant electoral requirements and the PDP constitution. He announced that Muhammad Sani Abacha had been affirmed as the party’s new governorship candidate for Kano State.

The chairman of the electoral panel, Abba Abdullahi, subsequently declared Abacha the winner of the replacement primary, stating that the exercise was conducted in accordance with the party’s guidelines and applicable electoral regulations. He also said Abacha met the requirements to contest the election.

The party also made changes to its deputy governorship ticket as part of efforts to resolve its longstanding internal disagreements in the state. Bichi disclosed that the position had been allocated to the faction associated with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki following consultations and reconciliation efforts.

Consequently, Yusuf Ado Kibiya, a former factional chairman of the PDP and former commissioner for land and agriculture, was named as the new deputy governorship candidate.

Bichi said the decision to allocate the deputy governorship slot to the Turaki faction was part of a broader reconciliation process aimed at ending divisions within the Kano PDP. He maintained that the various factions had now been reconciled.

The chairman further disclosed that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the replacement exercise.

He also revealed that the party had adjusted some of its candidates for the National Assembly and State Assembly elections as part of the reconciliation process. According to him, the changes were intended to accommodate members of the different factions and strengthen unity within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.