Tension has risen in Kano State following the exclusion of major opposition parties from the ballot for Saturday’s by-election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the poll in the Municipal and Ungogo state constituencies. However, key parties expected to contest are missing from the final list of candidates.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and a coalition linked to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are not on the ballot.
Consequently, their absence has sparked criticism and allegations of unfair treatment.
The by-election is meant to fill two vacant seats in the Kano State House of Assembly. The vacancies arose after the deaths of the lawmakers representing the affected constituencies last year.
INEC has maintained that it is ready to conduct a credible exercise. At a media briefing ahead of the poll, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, Abdul Zango, assured journalists of the commission’s preparedness.
“All political parties were given equal opportunity to nominate candidates. The commission is fully prepared to conduct a transparent and credible election,” Zango had said.
Despite this assurance, INEC’s final list shows that only nine parties were cleared. Those listed include Accord, Action Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, African Action Congress, All Progressives Congress, Allied Peoples Movement, Peoples Redemption Party, Young Progressives Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
INEC has not given a detailed public explanation for excluding the major opposition parties. This has further fueled speculation and anger among party leaders and supporters.
The NNPP, which has been battling internal divisions in Kano, is among the most vocal critics. The party is reportedly split into three factions and submitted multiple candidates for the two constituencies.
Reacting to the development, the Boniface-led faction of the NNPP accused INEC of deliberately shutting the party out of the process. Senator Mushud El-Jibril Doguwa spoke on behalf of the faction.
“We duly submitted our candidates for the Municipal and Ungogo constituencies, but INEC refused to recognise our party for reasons best known to them,” Doguwa said.
He described the action as an attack on democracy. “This is a clear attempt to sideline us from the democratic process. We will not accept it. We are already consulting our lawyers and will institute legal action against INEC,” he added.
Attempts to reach leaders of the Kwankwasiyya and Abdullahi Abiya-led factions of the NNPP were unsuccessful as of press time.
The PDP has also faulted the electoral body over its exclusion. The party’s Kano State Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Kibiya, accused INEC of breaching the Electoral Act.
“We were ready and willing to participate in this by-election,” Kibiya said. “However, INEC only gave us four days to conduct our primaries and submit the names of candidates. That is not sufficient time, and it undermines the spirit of the law.”
He described the situation as harmful to democratic practice and said the party was reviewing its next steps.
COURTESY: politicsnigeria
