The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has accused Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf of plotting to disqualify the party’s governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, ahead of the 2027 election.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deleted Gwarzo’s name from its updated governorship candidate in the state and said it was due to a court order.

The commission however clarified that it has no problem with the candidate, adding that his omission was in compliance with the court.

But speaking at a press briefing in Kano on Sunday, Kwankwaso alleged that the governor initially sought to use INEC to remove the NDC candidate from the ballot but later resorted to the courts when that move failed.

According to him, Governor Yusuf had realised that he made a political mistake and had since been making frantic efforts to prevent the NDC from participating in the governorship contest.

”What he wanted was for INEC to declare that there was no governorship candidate in Kano. When that did not happen, they went to court seeking the disqualification of our candidate,” Kwankwaso said.

The former Kano governor alleged that associates of the governor secretly instituted legal action against the party and INEC in a bid to secure a court order without attracting public attention.

He claimed that the case was structured in a manner that would prevent the affected candidate from becoming aware of the proceedings until after judgment had been delivered.

Kwankwaso, however, insisted that the NDC candidate had no constitutional or legal impediment that could warrant disqualification.

”Our candidates have no issues relating to age, educational qualification or any other constitutional requirement. There is nothing that should stop them from contesting the election,” he said.

The NDC vice-presidential candidate further accused the governor and his allies of attempting to avoid electoral competition rather than face the party at the polls.

”They do not want to contest against us. They believe that once they occupy government offices, they can do whatever they want. But Kano voters will decide,” he said.

Speaking of previous political developments in the state, Kwankwaso recalled that a court ruling had once removed a candidate before he was subsequently reinstated ahead of an election that his party eventually won.

He expressed confidence that the electorate would reject what he described as attempts to undermine democratic choice in the state.

Kwankwaso also urged supporters, particularly young people, to verify their voter registration status and remain politically active.

He maintained that the NDC would participate in the election and defeat its opponents at the polls.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of Governor Yusuf on the allegations were unsuccessful as calls made to the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, were neither answered nor returned as at the time of filing this report.