By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted Muhammad Sani Abacha as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election after Muhammad Bello Dalhatu withdrew from the race.
The decision was reached at an expanded meeting of the party’s State Executive Committee in Kano on Wednesday, September 16.
PDP state chairman, Dr Bello Gambo Bichi, said the process followed the party’s constitution and relevant electoral provisions governing the replacement of a candidate who voluntarily steps down.
“Last time we did a primary election in which Mohammed Bello Dalha was declared winner, but following consultations among stakeholders in Kano and Abuja, the candidate decided to withdraw.
“The law says that as a result of withdrawal, a replacement primary must be held. That is what brought us here today.
“We have affirmed Muhammad Sani Abacha as the gubernatorial candidate of our great party in Kano State,” Bichi explained.”
The party subsequently conducted a replacement primary on September 16, with Dr Abba Abdullahi, chairman of the electoral panel, declaring Abacha the winner.
Abdullahi said the exercise complied with the PDP’s internal guidelines and applicable electoral regulations. He also stated that Abacha fulfilled the conditions required to secure the party’s nomination.
The state chairman also announced that the party had reached an agreement to resolve its factional disagreements through a reconciliation arrangement.
Under the agreement, the deputy governorship ticket was allocated to the Turaki faction. Yusuf Ado Kibiya, a former factional PDP chairman and former Commissioner for Land and Agriculture, was subsequently announced as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
“After a wide consultation and reconciliation, we agreed to give the deputy governorship slot to the Turaki faction here in Kano. With this, there is no faction in Kano PDP.
“We have reconciled,” he said, adding that representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) witnessed the process,” he said.
Bichi further disclosed that the reconciliation also resulted in changes to some of the party’s National Assembly and state assembly candidates.
He maintained that the developments had brought the different camps together and described the party as “waxing stronger” ahead of the elections.
The resolution of the internal dispute and the emergence of Abacha come after a period of disagreements within the Kano PDP.
Party leaders said the reconciliation was intended to bring members of the different camps together and strengthen the party’s organisation across the state ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.
Bichi expressed confidence in the party’s prospects, saying the resolution of the dispute and Abacha’s emergence had positioned the PDP to win the next general election.
