The 2027 Kano governorship race has come under fresh scrutiny after supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement protested at the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the omission of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate from the commission’s published list.

The protesters, led by the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, marched to the INEC office on Friday and submitted a petition seeking the reinstatement of Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo. The movement insists that the party complied with the requirements for nominating its candidates and has described the omission as unjust. 

Receiving the delegation, Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner Abdu Zango said the commission had acknowledged the complaint and that affected parties had until October 24 to submit appeals concerning omissions. He assured the protesters that their petition would receive attention and be forwarded to INEC’s national headquarters for consideration.

Zango also commended the demonstrators for presenting their grievances peacefully. He maintained that the commission’s officials in Kano would remain neutral while the complaint was being considered.

The dispute follows the publication of INEC’s list of Kano governorship candidates, which did not include Gwarzo and his running mate. The NDC had earlier urged supporters to remain calm, with a party spokesperson saying the omission was believed to have resulted from a technical problem. However, the commission’s published list had not included the NDC ticket in the reports reviewed.

The controversy also raises questions about the procedures for correcting missing names. Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 provides that a registered political party that discovers its candidate’s name is missing from the published list must notify INEC in writing, with the notification signed by its national chairman and secretary and supported by an affidavit, within 14 days of publication. 

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has urged the NDC and the candidate’s legal representatives to pursue the available procedures for resolving the issue. The outcome could determine whether Gwarzo’s name is restored to the list before the relevant deadline, although the commission has not publicly confirmed that reinstatement will occur.

With the October 24 deadline approaching, attention is now on INEC’s national headquarters and the steps the party takes to resolve the dispute. The matter remains a question of electoral procedure, and the candidate’s status should not be treated as settled until the commission issues a definitive decision.