Kwankwaso’s supporters have rejected reported NDC plans to replace Kano candidates, insisting due process was followed in primaries
A political movement aligned with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has rejected reports that the leadership of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) plans to remove some candidates loyal to the Kwankwasiyya bloc in Kano State.
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The dispute follows reports that the NDC replaced several candidates earlier submitted by the Kwankwasiyya faction, allegedly over a breach of a power-sharing agreement guiding candidate selection within the party.
According to a document said to have been signed by Kano State NDC Chairman, Hon. Hussaini Isah Mairiga, the changes were made to reflect an earlier agreement on the distribution of party positions between the party’s original structure and the Kwankwasiyya group.
The document was reportedly copied to key stakeholders, including NDC National Leader Senator Seriake Dickson, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and the party’s North-West Zonal Chairman.
The adjustments affected both federal constituency and state assembly candidates across several areas in Kano State.
Reacting to the development, the National Spokesperson of the Kwankwassiyya Movement, Habib Mai-Lemo, dismissed the claims, insisting that all candidates emerged through due process either via consensus arrangements or party primaries.
He expressed surprise at the reported changes, noting that neither the party leadership nor stakeholders had previously raised objections during the selection process.
“All our candidates participated in the processes from start to finish. We never received any complaints,” Mai-Lemo said.
He added that the Kwankwassiyya Movement was not officially served with any documentation confirming the reported replacements and would treat the matter as unverified until proven otherwise.
Mai-Lemo further stressed that the state party leadership and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were present during the nomination and consensus processes.
“We are waiting to see if it is true or not because we have not received a copy of the letter,” he said.
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The development has heightened political tension within the NDC in Kano, with both sides maintaining conflicting positions over the legitimacy of the candidate selection process ahead of future elections.
