The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed Mohammed Abacha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) among candidates for the 2027 Kano State governorship election, while Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is absent from the published list.

The development marks a change in the line-up of opposition candidates ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship election, with Abacha featuring on the PDP ticket after emerging as the party’s candidate in a subsequent stakeholders’ meeting.

Gwarzo, a former deputy governor of Kano State, was announced as the NDC’s governorship candidate in May by former governor and party leader Rabiu Kwankwaso. His name, however, does not appear in the Kano governorship list currently being referenced.

INEC’s published particulars are a key part of the electoral process, providing information on candidates nominated by political parties for the forthcoming elections. The commission’s list identifies the individuals presented by parties to contest the various offices.

Abacha, son of former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, returned to the PDP governorship ticket after an earlier primary in May 2026, in which he lost to Mohammed Dalhatu. A subsequent meeting of party stakeholders affirmed Abacha as the party’s candidate, with Ado Kibiya named as his running mate.

Gwarzo, who served as Kano deputy governor under Governor Abba Yusuf, resigned in March 2026 following political disagreements over Yusuf’s defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He subsequently joined the NDC and received the party’s governorship ticket.

The absence of Gwarzo’s name from the list does not, by itself, establish that INEC formally disqualified him. The commission has not been cited as giving a specific reason for his omission in the information available for this report.

Further clarification from INEC and the NDC would be necessary to establish whether the omission resulted from a nomination issue, a party submission or another electoral process.

The Kano governorship contest is expected to feature candidates from several political parties, including the APC, PDP, NDC and Labour Party, as political alignments continue to evolve ahead of the 2027 election.