NDC Blames Computer Glitch as INEC Omits Kano Governorship Candidate From Final List

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has attributed the absence of its Kano State governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam-Gwarzo, from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 election to an alleged computer glitch.

The party has urged its members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that it completed the necessary nomination procedures within the stipulated period and that the omission was not caused by any failure on its part.

The NDC’s Kano State Public Relations Officer, Yusif Fasaha, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Kano following the publication of INEC’s final list on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

Fasaha said the party had contacted the electoral commission over the omission and was assured that the problem would be addressed.

“I want to assure you that, as the PRO of the party, the problem is not from us. We have consulted INEC, and they told us that the problem was from the computer and that they would rectify it,” he said.

The spokesperson expressed confidence that a corrected list containing Gwarzo’s name would be published by Monday, October 12, and appealed to party members not to panic over the development.

“So, everybody should remain calm. Between now and Monday, another list containing his name will be released,” Fasaha added.

He maintained that Gwarzo had fulfilled all the requirements for the governorship election and that the party had completed the relevant processes on time.

However, INEC has not publicly confirmed that a computer glitch caused the omission or independently explained why the candidate was left off the final list.

The commission’s published document contains 17 governorship candidates and their running mates from various political parties contesting the February 6, 2027 Kano governorship election. Neither Gwarzo nor his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, appears on the list.

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Among the candidates included is incumbent Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who is listed as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with Murtala Sule-Garo as his running mate.

Abacha Muhammad Sani is listed as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while other political parties also have candidates on the commission’s list.

The omission has raised questions about the NDC’s participation in the Kano governorship election, particularly because Gwarzo had emerged as the party’s candidate alongside Kwankwaso, a former Kano State commissioner for youth development and son of former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The development also comes amid wider scrutiny of INEC’s final lists for the 2027 governorship elections. In Gombe State, the commission omitted former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami, who had emerged as the PDP candidate following a fresh primary.

In Pantami’s case, the omission comes against the backdrop of legal disputes over the party’s nomination process and questions surrounding compliance with the Electoral Act 2026.

The Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment restored provisions of the Electoral Act governing political party membership registers and eligibility to participate in party primaries. The provisions require parties to comply with statutory deadlines for submitting their membership registers to INEC.

However, the electoral commission’s published Kano list does not establish whether the NDC’s omission is connected to the membership-register requirements, a documentation issue or another administrative matter.

The distinction is important because the NDC’s claim of a computer glitch remains unconfirmed by the commission.

If INEC issues a revised list, it would clarify whether Gwarzo and his running mate have been included among the candidates cleared to contest the election. Until then, uncertainty remains over the party’s representation in the Kano governorship race.

The NDC has maintained that it complied with the nomination requirements and is continuing consultations with the electoral commission to resolve the matter.

The immediate focus is now on whether INEC will publish a corrected list by the date indicated by the party and provide an official explanation for the omission.

For the NDC, the outcome will determine whether its preferred candidates appear on the final list for the Kano governorship election. For voters, the issue highlights the importance of transparent candidate-selection procedures and clear communication from electoral authorities ahead of the 2027 polls.