Kwankwaso, Supporters Storm INEC Over Omission of Kano NDC Guber Candidate, Deputy
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO —– Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, the deputy governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Friday led hundreds of Kwankwasiyya Movement supporters to the Kano office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, protesting the omission of its governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and his name.
Mustapha, the eldest son of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in company of top party stalwarts submitted a formal petition demanding the reinstatement of the two candidates on the electoral list.
Kwankwaso said the NDC candidates had fulfilled all requirements stipulated by INEC for the nomination of candidates, describing their omission as unjust and unacceptable.
Receiving the delegation, Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, said the commission was aware of the complaint and that affected parties still had until October 24 to appeal.
“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 assured the protesters that their petition would receive the necessary attention before being forwarded to INEC headquarters for consideration, stressing that the Kano office remained neutral.
“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, while expressing satisfaction with the ongoing Permanent Voter Card collection exercise, which began on October 9.
However, spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Dr. Habib Mohammed, alleged that the controversy extended beyond the omission of the two candidates.
Mohammed alleged that unauthorised letters, some bearing suspected forged signatures, were submitted to INEC headquarters and may have led to the substitution of some NDC candidates.
“Another reason is a petition against a staff here, whom we believe colluded with some unauthorized people to hide a decision which led to substitution of some of our candidates,” he said.
He called for an investigation into the alleged conduct of the INEC staff member, saying the movement was satisfied with the assurances given by the REC.
“Alhamdulillah, he received us very well and has given us assurance that he is going to do the needful within his own power,” Mohammed said.