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Three major opposition parties — the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC) — are missing from Saturday’s bye-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano State.
Despite their absence, INEC has reaffirmed its commitment to a free, fair, and credible poll in the Municipal and Ungogo state constituencies.
The off-cycle election is being held to fill two vacant seats in the Kano State House of Assembly following the deaths of former lawmakers last year.
At a recent media briefing, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, Abdul Zango, assured that all political parties were given equal opportunity to participate.
However, the commission’s final list shows that only nine parties were cleared to contest, excluding the PDP, NNPP, and ADC.
The participating parties include Accord (A), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Peoples Party (APP), African Action Congress (AAC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
INEC has yet to publicly explain the exclusion of the major opposition parties, a development that has sparked criticism and allegations of deliberate disenfranchisement.
The NNPP, which is currently factionalised in Kano, reportedly submitted multiple candidates for the two constituencies. Reacting, a faction of the party, through Senator Mushud El-Jibril Doguwa, accused INEC of unjust disqualification.
“We duly submitted our candidates, but INEC refused to recognise our party for reasons best known to them,” he said, adding that legal action is being considered.
Similarly, the Kano State Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Yusuf Kibiya, accused INEC of violating provisions of the Electoral Act, citing inadequate time for conducting primaries.
“We were willing to participate, but the four-day window given to submit candidates was insufficient and undermines the law,” he stated.
He described the situation as troubling for Nigeria’s democracy, noting that the party is reviewing its next steps.
