Kano By-Election Crisis: INEC Excludes PDP, NNPP from Ballot, Sparks Outrage

By Angel Nwaozuzu

Confusion engulfs Kano State as major opposition parties are absent from the ballot for Saturday’s state House of Assembly by-election in Municipal and Ungogo constituencies.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released a final candidate list featuring only nine parties, excluding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and an African Democratic Congress (ADC)-linked coalition.

The by-election fills vacancies created by the deaths of the previous lawmakers last year.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Abdul Zango insisted at a media briefing: “All political parties were given equal opportunity to nominate candidates.

The commission is fully prepared to conduct a transparent and credible election.”Cleared parties include Accord, Action Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, African Action Congress, All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement, Peoples Redemption Party, Young Progressives Party, and Zenith Labour Party.

INEC has offered no detailed explanation for the exclusions, igniting accusations of bias and threats of legal action.

The fractured NNPP, split into factions, led the backlash. Boniface faction spokesperson, Senator Mushud El-Jibril Doguwa fumed, “We duly submitted our candidates for the Municipal and Ungogo constituencies, but INEC refused to recognise our party for reasons best known to them. This is a clear attempt to sideline us from the democratic process. We will not accept it. We are already consulting our lawyers and will institute legal action against INEC.”

PDP Kano Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Kibiya echoed the criticism, “We were ready and willing to participate. However, INEC only gave us four days to conduct our primaries and submit names that is not sufficient time and undermines the spirit of the law.”

The party is reviewing options amid claims of Electoral Act violations.Leaders of NNPP’s Kwankwasiyya and Abdullahi Abiya factions could not be reached for comment.