Hanga Loses Kano Central Senate Ticket to Gawuna
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO — Senator Rufai Sani Hanga has lost the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) senatorial ticket for the Kano Central district to former Deputy Governor, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna.
The decision was announced by the National Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, following what he described as wide consultations within the party and its strategic structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso said the choice of Gawuna was guided by principles of equity, fairness, loyalty, and competence, which he insisted remain central to the party’s internal decision-making process.
The development effectively sidelines the incumbent Senator Hanga, who recently defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the NDC in a bid to retain his seat in the forthcoming election.
According to party sources, the decision has stirred political debate within Kano Central, given Hanga’s status as serving senator and Gawuna’s relatively recent alignment with the party after years in the opposition political space.
Gawuna, a former Deputy Governor of Kano State and 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is now expected to lead the NDC’s senatorial campaign in the district against his former boss, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the APC.
Kwankwaso also used the occasion to reaffirm the party’s broader electoral strategy in Kano, announcing Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo as the governorship candidate for the state.
He expressed optimism that the party would record success in the 2027 general elections, urging members to remain united and committed as the affirmation process continues across constituencies.