Kano APC Challenges Kwankwaso to Present Evidence Linking Governor Yusuf to Gwarzo’s Disqualification Battle

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to provide concrete evidence supporting his allegation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is behind efforts to prevent the party’s governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from contesting the 2027 election.

The ruling party described Kwankwaso’s accusation as unfounded, insisting that neither Governor Yusuf nor the APC had any involvement in the legal dispute surrounding Gwarzo’s candidacy.

The disagreement has added another layer of tension to the political atmosphere in Kano State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the former political allies now belonging to opposing camps.

Kwankwaso had accused Governor Yusuf of allegedly attempting to frustrate the NDC’s participation in the forthcoming governorship election by ensuring that its candidate was excluded from the ballot.

Speaking during a press briefing in Kano, the former governor alleged that efforts were initially made to get the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare that the NDC had no governorship candidate in the state.

He claimed that after the alleged attempt failed, individuals connected to the governor resorted to legal action in an effort to secure Gwarzo’s disqualification.

Kwankwaso further alleged that the court proceedings were initiated without the candidate’s knowledge, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding the legal challenge.

He maintained that Gwarzo had fulfilled the constitutional and electoral requirements to contest the election, insisting that there was no legitimate reason for his exclusion from the ballot.

However, the Kano APC has rejected the allegations, arguing that the controversy originated from an internal disagreement within the NDC rather than any political action by the ruling party or the state government.

In a statement signed by its state chairman, Umar Haruna Doguwa, the APC maintained that the legal case was instituted by some members of the NDC against their own party.

The party said it had neither sponsored nor influenced the proceedings and accused Kwankwaso of attempting to shift attention away from the internal challenges confronting the opposition party.

Doguwa challenged the NDC leader to present credible and verifiable evidence linking Governor Yusuf or the APC to the legal action.

According to the APC, making serious allegations against political opponents without supporting evidence could mislead the public and unnecessarily increase political tension in the state.

The party also insisted that the judiciary remained an independent institution, stressing that neither the governor nor the APC had the authority to dictate how courts handled cases or what decisions they should deliver.

The ruling party said it had no interest in preventing eligible candidates from participating in the electoral process and maintained that every political party had the right to field candidates in accordance with the law.

It urged Kwankwaso and other political actors to allow the courts and relevant electoral institutions to handle the dispute without turning the matter into a political confrontation.

The disagreement centres on the omission of Gwarzo and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, from INEC’s published list of governorship candidates for Kano State.

The NDC candidate had earlier expressed dissatisfaction with the development, alleging that political interests were working behind the scenes to prevent him from participating in the election.

Gwarzo maintained that he emerged as the party’s candidate through a consensus arrangement and fulfilled the necessary nomination requirements.

He also disclosed that the party had taken legal steps to challenge the circumstances surrounding the omission of his name and that of his running mate.

According to him, the party’s legal team was seeking to participate in the proceedings at the Federal High Court in Kano, while a separate case had also been filed in Abuja to compel INEC to publish their names.

The NDC candidate expressed confidence that the legal process would eventually resolve the dispute and allow him to participate in the election.

The controversy has become particularly significant because of the political history between Kwankwaso and Governor Yusuf. The two politicians were previously close political allies, with Kwankwaso playing a major role in Yusuf’s emergence as governor in 2023.

However, their political relationship changed following Yusuf’s decision to leave the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and join the APC, a development that created a major division within the political structure associated with Kwankwaso.

The latest dispute reflects the widening political differences between the two camps as preparations for the 2027 elections continue.

For the APC, the central issue is that the legal challenge against Gwarzo should not be blamed on the governor or the ruling party without evidence.

For Kwankwaso and the NDC, however, the concern is whether their candidate will be allowed to participate in the election and whether the legal proceedings could affect the party’s chances of appearing on the ballot.

The dispute has also placed INEC’s handling of candidate nominations under public scrutiny, particularly as political parties work to meet the requirements for the forthcoming elections.

As the legal process continues, the question of Gwarzo’s eligibility and eventual inclusion on the ballot remains important to the political contest in Kano State.

The APC has maintained that it welcomes competition from opposition parties and insists that the NDC should resolve its internal disagreements through the appropriate legal channels.

Kwankwaso, on the other hand, has continued to express confidence that his party will participate in the election, urging supporters to remain politically active.

With the 2027 governorship race approaching, the disagreement is likely to remain a major subject of political discussion in Kano, especially as both camps seek to strengthen their support ahead of the polls.

Ultimately, the legal proceedings and any evidence presented by the parties involved will be important in determining the circumstances surrounding Gwarzo’s candidacy. Until then, the allegations against Governor Yusuf remain disputed, while the APC continues to insist that Kwankwaso must substantiate his claims.