Kano APC denies plot against NDC gov candidate

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has denied allegations linking Governor Abba Yusuf and the party to moves to disqualify the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Aminu Gwarzo, from the 2027 election.

The APC described the allegation, reportedly made by the vice-presidential candidate of the NDC, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as false and baseless, insisting that neither the party nor the governor was involved in the legal proceedings concerning Gwarzo.

The PUNCH reports that on Monday, Kwankwaso accused Yusuf of plotting to disqualify Gwarzo ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during a press briefing in Kano on Monday, Kwankwaso alleged that the governor initially sought to use the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove the NDC candidate from the ballot but later resorted to the courts when that move failed.

According to him, Yusuf had realised that he had made a political mistake and had since been making frantic efforts to prevent the NDC from participating in the governorship election.

“What he wanted was for INEC to declare that there was no governorship candidate in Kano. When that did not happen, they went to court seeking the disqualification of our candidate,” Kwankwaso said.

However, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its state chairman, Umar Doguwa, the party said the case originated from an internal crisis within the NDC and was instituted by members of the party against it.

The APC said it had neither sponsored nor influenced the court action, adding that attempts to link the party and  Yusuf to the matter were misleading.

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“The case originated from the internal crisis within the NDC, explaining that it was instituted by members of the party against the NDC itself and not by the APC, its governorship candidate or the Kano State Government,” the statement said.

The party challenged Kwankwaso to provide credible and verifiable evidence linking it or the governor to the legal proceedings rather than making allegations it said could mislead the public and heighten political tension.

It also accused the former Kano governor of attempting to use the matter to blackmail the APC and its governorship candidate.

“APC has no interest in interfering with the electoral process or using state power against political opponents. Every eligible candidate had the constitutional right to participate in the 2027 general elections in accordance with the law,” the party maintained.

It further said the judiciary was an independent arm of government and that neither the APC nor the governor had the authority to dictate court proceedings or decisions.

The statement added that the party welcomed the participation of opposition parties in the electoral process and had no reason to plot against any political organisation or candidate.

The APC urged Kwankwaso and other political actors to allow relevant institutions to discharge their constitutional responsibilities without politicising legal disputes arising from internal party affairs.

It called on the public to disregard what it described as attempts to associate the party and Governor Yusuf with the NDC’s legal dispute over its governorship candidate.