INEC Excludes NDC's Aminu Gwarzo from Kano Gubernatorial Race

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded Aminu Gwarzo, the governorship candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State, from its final list of candidates. Although INEC did not publicly disclose the specific reason for Gwarzo's removal, it is believed to be related to a Supreme Court ruling in the case of INEC v.

Zenith, which upheld the validity of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026. This ruling mandates that political parties must submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before any primary, congress, or convention.

Only individuals listed in the submitted register are eligible to participate in internal party processes. Gwarzo's exclusion means he cannot contest the governorship election on the NDC platform.

The NDC had previously ratified Peter Obi as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections on May 29, 2026, following his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on May 2, 2026. The Supreme Court's ruling emphasizes that compliance with membership register requirements is essential for candidate eligibility.