The protesters, led by the NDC deputy governorship candidate, Mustapha Kwankwaso, marched to the INEC state office, where they submitted a formal petition demanding the reinstatement of Gwarzo’s name on the list.
Kwankwaso, who presented the petition on behalf of the governorship candidate, said the party had complied with the rules and regulations established by the electoral commission for candidate nomination. He described the omission as unjust and called on INEC to address the matter.
Responding to the protesters, Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, said the commission had taken note of the complaint and explained that an appeal window remained open until October 24.
“Basically, what they came to do is to present a complaint about the omission of their candidates. Luckily, INEC has made the point very clear, the reason for the omission and the fact that there is a window of appeal that has been provided up to the 24th of October,” Zango said.
He added that the commission had received the petition and would forward it to its national headquarters for consideration.
“We received all the complaints and assured the delegation that their petition will receive the necessary attention and we are going to forward it to our national headquarters for consideration. As far as we are concerned in Kano here, we are very neutral,” he said.
Zango also commended the protesters for presenting their grievances peacefully and in an orderly manner, stressing the importance of using established channels to resolve electoral disputes.
The protest followed concerns raised by the Kwankwasiyya Movement over Gwarzo’s absence from INEC’s published list. The movement had maintained that the candidate registered with the NDC within the stipulated period and said it was unaware of any court case or judicial order cited as the basis for his omission.
The group also referred to Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which it said provides a 14-day window for a political party to notify INEC in writing, accompanied by an affidavit, when the name of its nominated candidate is missing.
It urged the NDC and Gwarzo’s legal representatives to examine the provision and take the necessary legal steps to seek a correction, where applicable.
Meanwhile, Zango addressed the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which began on October 9. He expressed satisfaction with the turnout and said collection points would be extended to registration areas to improve access and make the process more convenient for eligible voters.
The omission of the NDC candidate has raised concerns within the movement as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections. INEC’s response indicates that the petition will be forwarded to its national headquarters, while the commission has pointed to the October 24 deadline as an opportunity for the affected party to pursue an appeal.
The outcome of the petition and any subsequent action by INEC will determine whether Gwarzo’s name can be restored to the list, subject to the applicable electoral procedures.
