Sani Abacha’s Son Emerges Kano PDP Governorship Candidate for 2027

Sani Abacha’s Son Emerges Kano PDP Governorship Candidate for 2027

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State has affirmed Muhammad Sani Abacha, son of former military Head of State General Sani Abacha, as its candidate for the 2027 Kano State governorship election following the withdrawal of the party’s earlier flag bearer, Muhammad Bello Dalha.

Abacha emerged on Wednesday, September 16, during an expanded meeting of the Kano PDP State Executive Committee, where the party conducted an affirmation and replacement primary to fill the vacancy created by Dalha’s withdrawal.

The development was announced by the Kano PDP Chairman, Bello Gambo Bichi, who said Dalha had voluntarily stepped down after consultations with party stakeholders in Kano and at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

Bichi explained that Dalha had earlier won the party’s governorship primary but subsequently withdrew, making a replacement process necessary under the applicable electoral and party rules.

The replacement exercise was witnessed by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The chairman of the replacement primary election panel, Dr Abba Abdullahi, formally declared Abacha the PDP’s governorship candidate after the exercise. He said the process was conducted in accordance with the PDP constitution, party guidelines, relevant regulations and applicable electoral laws.

Abdullahi also said Abacha had satisfied the requirements for nomination, while noting that his candidacy remained subject to the applicable statutory processes and scrutiny by the relevant electoral authorities.

The latest development marks a return for Abacha to the Kano governorship race. He contested the 2023 governorship election on the PDP platform and finished third in that election.

His return follows an earlier PDP primary in which Dalha emerged as the party’s candidate. Dalha’s subsequent withdrawal has now paved the way for Abacha to return to the contest through the replacement process.

READ ALSO:

• He Does Not Lose Elections”: Abdulmumin Jibrin Predicts 65% Landslide for Tinubu in 2027
• Gaza Building Collapse Kills 21, Including Eight Children
• Niger Mosque Abductions: Terrorists Execute 30 of 500 Captive Muslim Worshippers

The PDP has also named Yusuf Ado Kibiya, a former Kano PDP chairman and former commissioner, as Abacha’s running mate.

According to the party leadership, Kibiya’s selection formed part of a reconciliation arrangement aimed at resolving divisions between rival factions within the Kano PDP.

Bichi said the deputy governorship slot was allocated to the faction associated with former Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as part of the reconciliation process.

The party chairman said the agreement was reached after consultations and that the arrangement had resolved the factional dispute within the Kano PDP.

The reconciliation has also affected other positions on the party’s ticket, with Bichi disclosing that some candidates for the National Assembly and Kano State House of Assembly were replaced as part of the agreement to accommodate members of the different factions.

The PDP leadership has urged its members, leaders and supporters to unite behind the new governorship ticket as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Bichi described the development as a new phase for the Kano PDP and said the party was strengthening its internal structure ahead of the election.

The emergence of Abacha gives the PDP a candidate with previous experience of contesting the Kano governorship. His 2023 campaign was conducted under the PDP, although he did not win the election.

The political landscape in Kano has since changed, with parties preparing new structures and candidates for the 2027 contest.

The PDP’s latest decision also illustrates the role of candidate replacement and internal reconciliation in the preparations for the next election. Rather than overturning the earlier primary result, the party’s process followed the withdrawal of the candidate who had initially secured its ticket.

The party has maintained that the replacement exercise complied with the Electoral Act, its constitution and relevant electoral guidelines. INEC representatives were present during the process, according to the PDP leadership and reports of the exercise. (Vanguard News)

For now, Abacha becomes the PDP’s candidate for the Kano governorship election, with Kibiya as his running mate, while the party moves to consolidate its structure and prepare for the wider electoral contest.

The nomination remains subject to the statutory electoral processes that apply before the 2027 election.

With the replacement of Dalha and the accompanying reconciliation between the rival factions, the Kano PDP will now focus on campaigning, mobilisation and presenting its new ticket to voters as preparations for the 2027 election intensify.

Sani Abacha’s Son Emerges Kano PDP Governorship Candidate for 2027