EXCLUSIVE: Crises loom as Kwankwaso adopts Gwarzo as Kano NDC guber candidate, Gawuna rejects Senate, deputy governor offer
Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is reportedly set to unveil former Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, as the consensus governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Kano State ahead of the 2027 general election.
Sources familiar with the development said the decision followed a series of consultations within the Kwankwasiyya Movement and among key political stakeholders aligned with the group.
Abdussalam resigned as deputy governor in March, weeks after the Kano State House of Assembly reportedly served him an impeachment notice.
A former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 election, Nasiru Gawuna, was initially considered a major contender for the ticket.
However, Kwankwaso reportedly settled for Abdussalam after internal consultations held on Wednesday.
Sources further disclosed that Kwankwaso subsequently offered Gawuna either the deputy governorship slot or the Kano Central Senatorial ticket, but the former APC candidate allegedly declined both offers while pledging loyalty to the movement and the party.
According to insiders, Gawuna reportedly stated that he joined the Kwankwasiyya Movement unconditionally and would not abandon the platform because he failed to secure the governorship ticket.
The delay in formally announcing Abdussalam’s emergence was reportedly linked to pressure from some influential figures urging Kwankwaso to reconsider Gawuna based on his electoral strength and popularity in Kano Central.
Supporters of Gawuna’s ambition argued that the best candidate to challenge incumbent Governor Abba Yusuf should emerge from Kano Central, where a large voting population is concentrated.
They also argued that since Governor Yusuf is currently serving his first term and is from Kano Central, presenting another candidate from the same zone could help maintain political balance within the state.
However, supporters of Abdussalam insisted that the former deputy governor deserved the ticket because of what they described as his loyalty, sacrifices and long-standing commitment to the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
