APC faces six-party contest as ADC, NDC shun Kano by-election

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) will not participate in Saturday’s by-election for the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency seat in the Kano State House of Assembly.

The decision leaves six political parties in the contest scheduled for September 19, according to the final list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The participating parties are the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Peoples Party (APP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

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The absence of the ADC and NDC comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections and amid internal disputes within some parties in Kano.

The Kano State Chairman of the ADC, Musa Shu’aibu Ungogo, attributed his party’s non-participation to an ongoing leadership dispute before the courts.

Ungogo said the party had candidates prepared for the bye-election but could not proceed because of the dispute over the control and leadership of the party.

“INEC called me on the issue of the candidate, and I told them to leave it. We are watching to see how they will manage it, since they have not been able to run the party,” he said.

He added: “We have our candidates who have been there since when we were the only ones in the party, before these people came in, and by God’s grace, we will reclaim our party.”

The ADC has also been divided over its leadership and choice of candidate for the 2027 Kano governorship election, with rival factions backing Ibrahim Khalil and Ibrahim Ali-Amin, popularly known as Ibrahim Little.

NDC focuses on 2027

For the NDC, its Kano State Chairman, Hussain Isa Mairiga, said the decision not to contest the bye-election was deliberate.

Mairiga said the party had opted to concentrate its resources, structures and political activities on the 2027 general elections rather than participate in the bye-election.

According to him, the party did not have sufficient time to make adequate preparations for the poll.

He said the decision was reached after consultations with the party’s leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

“We discussed with the leader of the NDC, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and we decided that we would not participate in the election.

“We are only waiting for the general election, when we will take the Kano government from the APC. That is what is before us,” he said.

The withdrawal of the ADC and NDC leaves six parties in the Dawakin Kudu contest.

INEC has said preparations for the by-election have been completed and urged voters, candidates and political parties to comply with electoral laws and maintain peace before, during and after the poll.

The commission scheduled the election for Saturday, September 19, with voting to take place in the affected constituency.